vastly in excess

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "vastly in excess" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a quantity or amount that significantly surpasses a certain limit or expectation. Example: "The project's budget was vastly in excess of what we had initially planned, leading to financial concerns."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

The Enron Corporation told investors yesterday that it faced debt repayments over the next year vastly in excess of its available cash.

The New York Times

Yet the total amount of solar energy incident on Earth is vastly in excess of the world's current and anticipated energy requirements.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The tunnel is able to meet its financial obligations now in large part because revenue guarantees from railroads -- based on traffic forecasts vastly in excess of actual volume -- do not expire until late 2006.

The New York Times

The shares of Axcelis Technologies Inc., a semiconductor equipment company, went on a wild ride in Nasdaq trading yesterday as hundreds of investors paid prices vastly in excess of the market price.

The New York Times

It has been a painful process both for borrowers, who have faced foreclosures and bankruptcies, and for lenders, whose have had to take losses vastly in excess of what they thought possible.

The New York Times

Such debts were "vastly in excess" of its available cash.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

In early 2000, before using its stock to buy several competing companies that proved to be vastly overvalued, JDS Uniphase had a market capitalization in excess of $200 billion.

The New York Times

Given how complex it is to assess the relevance of this enormous repertoire of reported somatic cancer mutations (currently running in excess of 1 million variants) (Forbes et al., 2011), the discovery of new somatic mutations has vastly outpaced our ability to unravel their functional roles.

Cell

Everything in excess".

The New Yorker

This is caution in excess.

The Economist

Offers in excess of £3.5m".

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider using "vastly in excess" to emphasize the significance of the difference or surplus, making it a more impactful statement than simply saying 'more than'.

Common error

While "vastly in excess" is grammatically sound, it can sound overly formal or technical in casual conversation. Opt for simpler alternatives like "way too much" or "far more than" to maintain a natural tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "vastly in excess" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or noun phrase to indicate the degree to which something exceeds a certain amount or limit. Ludwig examples illustrate its use in describing debt, prices, and energy, underscoring a significant overage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

17%

Wiki

16%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "vastly in excess" is a grammatically correct expression used to emphasize that something is significantly more than a particular limit or expectation. According to Ludwig, the phrase is most frequently found in news and media contexts and to a lesser extent, in science and wiki sources. While suitable for neutral and formal writing, it might sound unnatural in informal conversation. When writing, ensure the context clearly defines what is being exceeded to fully leverage the impact of the phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significantly exceeding

Focuses on the act of surpassing a certain point to a notable degree.

far beyond the limit

Emphasizes the idea of surpassing a boundary or restriction.

substantially over

Highlights the amount by which something exceeds a given value.

considerably more than

Underscores the magnitude of the excess in comparison to a reference point.

appreciably higher than

Suggests a noticeable difference in quantity or degree.

well over and above

Stresses the idea of being beyond what is required or expected.

markedly greater than

Focuses on the distinct and observable difference in size or amount.

excessively beyond

Implies that the amount by which something exceeds is very high.

out of proportion to

Highlights the lack of balance between an item and a measure.

disproportionately higher

Emphasizes the imbalance in relative size or quantity.

FAQs

How can I use "vastly in excess" in a sentence?

The phrase "vastly in excess" is used to describe something that significantly surpasses a certain limit or expectation. For example: "The company's debt was "vastly in excess" of its assets."

What are some alternatives to "vastly in excess"?

You can use alternatives such as "significantly exceeding", "far beyond the limit", or "substantially over" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "largely in excess" instead of "vastly in excess"?

While "largely in excess" is grammatically correct, "vastly in excess" implies a greater degree of difference. "Largely" suggests a significant amount, whereas "vastly" suggests a very great amount.

What is the difference between "in excess" and "vastly in excess"?

"In excess" simply means 'more than' or 'beyond a certain limit'. Adding "vastly" emphasizes that the amount is much greater than expected or required. For example, "The supply was "vastly in excess" of demand", indicating a considerable oversupply.