JLPT N1Mostly writtenEmphatic

にもましてeven more than

"Even more than." What you are comparing with was already a lot, and this goes past it.

昨さく年ねんは過か去こ最さい多たを記き録ろくしたが、今年ことしは昨さく年ねんにもまして応おう募ぼが多おおい。

Last year set a record, but this year there are even more applications than last year.

How to form it

Noun + にもまして

Also written にも増まして.

Before it: What you measure against: 昨さく年ねん, 以い前ぜん, 例れい年ねん, 前ぜん回かい. Or a question word: いつ, 何なに, 誰だれ.
After it: How things are, only more so: 暑あつい, 忙いそがしい, 大たい切せつだ, 増ふえた.
Where you'll meet it: Speeches, news, essays, the opening lines of a letter. In conversation people say 〜よりもっと or 〜以い上じょうに.

In use

本ほん年ねんの式しき典てんは、例れい年ねんにもまして厳おごそかな雰ふん囲い気きに包つつまれた。

This year's ceremony was enveloped in an atmosphere even more solemn than usual.

年ねん齢れいを重かさねた今いま、若わかい頃ころにもまして家か族ぞくとの時じ間かんを大たい切せつにしている。

Now that I am older, I value time with my family even more than I did when I was young.

就しゅう任にんにあたり、喜よろこびにもまして責せき任にんの重おもさを感かんじております。

As I take up this post, I feel the weight of responsibility even more strongly than the joy.

Two different things this time, not two times: the joy is great, and the sense of responsibility is greater still.

Three set phrases

A question word before it gives three phrases worth knowing whole. いつにもまして is the one you'll hear in conversation.

いつにもましてmore than usual, more than ever

今朝けさの電でん車しゃはいつにもまして混こんでいた。

This morning's train was even more crowded than usual.

何なににもましてmore than anything

何なににもまして大たい切せつなのは健けん康こうだ。

What matters more than anything is your health.

誰だれにもましてmore than anyone

彼かの女じょは誰だれにもまして熱ねっ心しんに練れん習しゅうした。

She practiced more earnestly than anyone.

What you compare with was already a lot

今日きょうは昨日きのうより寒さむい。

Today is colder than yesterday.

A plain comparison. Yesterday may have been mild.

今日きょうは昨日きのうよりもっと寒さむい。

Today is even colder than yesterday.

Yesterday was cold too. This is how you'd say it to a friend.

今日きょうは昨日きのうにもまして寒さむい。

Today is even colder than yesterday.

The same thing, in writing or a speech.

Close neighbours

に比べてN3

Sets two things side by side. It doesn't say either one is a lot.

去きょ年ねんに比くらべて、今年ことしは雨あめが少すくない。

Compared with last year, there has been little rain this year.

とは比べものにならないN1

The gap is so wide that the two can't be compared at all.

今いまの忙いそがしさは、去きょ年ねんとは比くらべものにならない。

I am far busier now than I was last year: there is no comparison.

何よりN2

The everyday 何なににもまして.

家か族ぞくが元げん気きなのが何なによりうれしい。

My family being well makes me happier than anything.

Check yourself

1What does this tell you about last summer?

今年ことしの夏なつは去きょ年ねんにもまして暑あつい。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

今日きょうの部ぶ長ちょうは（　　）機き嫌げんがいい。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

それにもまして at the start of a sentence is "and even more than that".

合ごう格かくできたのはうれしい。それにもまして、両りょう親しんが喜よろこんでくれたのがうれしい。

I'm glad I passed. Even more than that, I'm glad my parents were so pleased.

More sentences

以い前ぜんから使つかいやすい図と書しょ館かんだったが、改かい修しゅう後ごは以い前ぜんにもまして利り用ようしやすくなった。

The library was already easy to use, but after the renovation it became even more accessible than before.

決けっ勝しょう戦せんの会かい場じょうは、準じゅん決けっ勝しょうにもまして緊きん張ちょう感かんに満みちていた。

The venue for the final was filled with even more tension than during the semifinal.

この任にん務むでは、専せん門もん知ち識しきにもまして、状じょう況きょうに応おうじて判はん断だんする力ちからが必ひつ要ようだ。

For this assignment, the ability to judge according to the situation is needed even more than specialist knowledge.

災さい害がい後ごの地ち域いきには、物ぶっ資しにもまして継けい続ぞく的てきな支し援えん体たい制せいが求もとめられている。

In the disaster-stricken region, a system of continuing support is needed even more than supplies.