Head and shoulders above means much better than the others: her restoration work is head and shoulders above the other entries. It's strong praise, not a small advantage. It isn't about height: people compare work, quality or skill.
When would you say head and shoulders above?
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be + head and shoulders above + comparison group
- Her restoration work is head and shoulders above the other entries.
- For clarity, this manual is head and shoulders above the earlier version.
- The final prototype was head and shoulders above anything the team had built before.
What changed
First versionThis recording is head and shoulders than the previous one.
RevisionThis recording is head and shoulders above the previous one.
It feels like a comparison, and comparisons take than, so than appears. But there's no better in the idiom, so there's no than either: head and shoulders above the rest.
Better than covers any advantage, even a small one. By far the best is also strong, but uses a superlative. Neck and neck is the opposite: rivals are level.
Your turn
Choose the word completing the comparison: Her design is head and shoulders ___ the rest.
Show the answer
above — The idiom uses above: head and shoulders above the rest. Than is only needed after better.
Compare two things or pieces of work and say how one is far better, using head and shoulders above.
For sound quality, the new recording is head and shoulders above the rehearsal tape.
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