fewest
adjective
Form of fewe , superlative of fewe.
Simple meaning
Quantifier meaning the smallest in number.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
fyoouhstSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈfjuəst
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
(superlative of `few' used with count nouns and usually preceded by `the') quantifier meaning the smallest in number
“The fewest birds in recent memory.”
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- C2 · Proficient (estimated)
- Frequency
- Rare
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
This meaning: (superlative of `few' used with count nouns and usually preceded by `the') quantifier meaning the smallest in number
Used this way, fewest is a common word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. It stays understated rather than dramatic. It usually sounds natural in a wide range of settings.
“The fewest birds in recent memory.”
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Mild
- How common
- Common
- Connotation
- No strong connotation
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use fewest
- “The fewest birds in recent memory.”adjective
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Knowing “fewest” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.