Not matched by any competitor in the quality being judged.
Reach for it when Offering emphatic praise where comparison places one example clearly first.
Her unrivaled memory for local paths guided the search through heavy fog.
| playful | |
|---|---|
| everyday | |
| professional | |
| formal |
|
| literary |
playful
Fits when strong praise should feel idiomatic
Not when too promotional for cautious analysis
everyday
Fits when clear excellence matters more than first rank
Not when several examples can be outstanding
professional
Fits when measured comparison finds no equivalent
Not when can mean not paired rather than superior
formal
Fits when recognized leadership within a field is central
Not when can coexist with close rivals
formal
Fits when nothing else reaches the same standard
Not when sounds absolute without a defined comparison set
literary
Fits when no equal exists in the field
Not when high-flown for modest practical praise
unrivaled expertise
Unrivaled expertise helped the conservator identify the missing pigment.
virtually unrivaled
The valley is virtually unrivaled for accessible night-sky viewing.
unrivaled reputation
Decades of fair dealing built the cooperative's unrivaled reputation.
Definitions and examples are written for this site. How words are chosen Updated
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