non-pareil

Meanings

1. 1adjectivebefore a nounformalliterary

   Better than all others of its kind; having no equal.

   Grammar: Usually before a noun: a non-pareil performance; also appears after a noun in a literary style.

   Patterns

   • a non-pareil performer

   She gave a non-pareil performance at the piano.

   The chef's non-pareil skill earned him three stars.

   It was a non-pareil year for the team.

2. 2nouncountableformalliterary

   A person or thing that is without an equal and is the very best of its kind.

   Grammar: Countable and often preceded by the or a: she is a non-pareil.

   Patterns

   • the non-pareil of something
   • be a non-pareil

   As a storyteller she is a non-pareil.

   The film's director was seen as the non-pareil of his generation.

   This cake is a non-pareil among desserts.

Word forms

Common combinations

a non-pareil performer

He was a non-pareil performer on stage.

non-pareil quality

The craftsmanship is of non-pareil quality.

the non-pareil of his age

Critics called him the non-pareil of his age.

a non-pareil among

She is a non-pareil among athletes.

Synonyms and how they differ

unrivaled

Unrivaled is more common and plain, while non-pareil sounds more elegant and old-fashioned.

peerless

Peerless is a close match and equally formal, but it is used more widely in modern writing.

matchless

Matchless is slightly poetic and stresses nothing can be compared to it.

unequaled

Unequaled is neutral and common, whereas non-pareil carries a French-influenced flavor.

Opposites

Word family

nonpareil adjective

alternative spelling of non-pareil

pareil adjective

French for equal, source of the word

peer noun

someone equal in standing

Commonly confused: non-pareil or nonplussed?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “non-pareil”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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