にもまして

1. 1With a question word, it means 'more than anything, anyone, or any time', marking something as foremost.Ex. 1
2. 2After a noun or demonstrative, it means 'even more than X', where X may be a notable degree or an ordinary baseline such as the usual level.Ex. 2

Formal and mainly written, common in speeches, essays, and news. It also occurs in speech, where it sounds formal or emphatic. The standard can be something already notable, as in example 2, or an ordinary baseline, as in 普段にもまして ('more than usual'). Compared with 以上に, it sounds more literary and adds stronger emphasis to the rise in degree.

• 1.
  もさることながらN1「もさることながら」first affirms the first item, then places the focus on the second. The second item may be 'even more' noteworthy, or may simply be 'equally' worthy of attention — it does not necessarily exceed the first. It does not attach to interrogatives, so there is no 「何にもまして」-type usage.
• 2.
  以上にN2「以上に」has a plain tone and is common in both speech and writing; besides nouns it can also attach to verbs and adjectives, as in 「思った以上に」, and it has a usage meaning 'not just A, but B to an even greater degree'. When a noun serves as the baseline, its meaning is close to 「にもまして」 and the two are interchangeable.
• 3.
  に比べてN3「に比べて」is a neutral, objective comparison that can compare degree of superiority as well as qualitative differences; 「にもまして」leans toward written style and only emphasizes that the second item's degree surpasses the first. 「何にもまして」cannot be replaced with 「に比べて」.
• 4.
  にひきかえN1「にひきかえ」stresses that the two items are starkly opposite, often carrying praise or criticism; 「にもまして」instead indicates the second item goes even further in the same direction. 「それにひきかえ」and 「それにもまして」differ in meaning and cannot be swapped.
• 5.
  ほどN3「ほど」uses concrete or exaggerated examples to show the degree something has reached, or attaches to quantity words to mean 'about/roughly'; it does not express 'the second item exceeding the first'. It can attach to verbs, adjectives, nouns, and more, with a neutral register. The two cannot be interchanged.
• 6.
  より〜ほうがN5「より〜ほうが」is the neutral, basic comparative sentence; it attaches to nouns, verbs, and adjectives alike, and simply sets the two sides side by side in comparison. 「にもまして」leans toward written style, attaches only to nouns, interrogatives, and demonstratives, and places greater emphasis on the second item surpassing the first.

Unlike に比べて, ほど, and より〜ほうが, which make neutral comparisons, and 以上に, which is a plainer 'more than', にもまして emphatically stresses that the degree rises beyond X. もさることながら acknowledges X while shifting the focus to Y, and にひきかえ contrasts two opposite situations rather than grading degree.