Cool MateBut most of all vs Mainly
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
But most of all
Top 2,000 (common)
Mainly
Top 2,000 (common)B1adverb
| But most of all | Mainly | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //bʌt məʊst əv ɔːl//🇺🇸 //bʌt moʊst əv ɔl// | 🇬🇧 /["/ˈmeɪnli/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ˈmeɪnli/"]/ |
| Meaning | Used to emphasize something very important. | mostly or for the most part |
| Example | I love traveling, but most of all, I enjoy meeting new people. | She mainly works from home to achieve a better work-life balance. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 2,000 (common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| CEFR level | - | B1 |
| Part of speech | adverb | |
| Collocations | but most of all, I think, but most of all, it's clear, but most of all, we should | mainly for, mainly because, mainly concerned, mainly composed, mainly focused |
| Antonyms | - | rarely, seldom, occasionally |
| Common mistakes | Using it as a complete sentence without context., Confusing with 'but above all', which has a similar but slightly different emphasis. | Using 'mainly' instead of 'main' as an adjective, Confusing 'mainly' with 'mainly' as a conjunction, Placing 'mainly' at the beginning of the sentence incorrectly |
| Usage notes | Typically used in conversations or informal writing to highlight a key point. Avoid in very formal contexts. | Use 'mainly' in sentences to indicate the primary focus or majority aspect. It fits well in formal and informal contexts but avoid it in casual speech where shorter alternatives may suffice. |
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Frequently asked questions: But most of all vs Mainly
What's the difference between But most of all and Mainly?
But most of all: Used to emphasize something very important. Mainly: mostly or for the most part
Can you show an example of each?
But most of all: I love traveling, but most of all, I enjoy meeting new people. Mainly: She mainly works from home to achieve a better work-life balance.
Can I use But most of all and Mainly interchangeably?
Not always. But most of all and Mainly are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.