Britannica Sources used in this answer

Which element is the most electronegative in the periodic table?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Periodic table of the elements with color-coded categories and labeled element groups, showing atomic numbers, symbols, and basic information for each chemical element. — periodic table Modern version of the periodic table of the elements. To learn an element's name, atomic number, electron configuration, atomic weight, and more, select one from the table.

The most electronegative element in the periodic table is fluorine.123

Electronegativity is defined as the ability of an atom to attract a shared pair of electrons in a chemical bond. According to the Pauling scale, which measures these values, fluorine holds the highest electronegativity, while elements such as cesium or francium are the least electronegative. This property generally increases across the periodic table from the bottom left to the top right, mirroring the trend of nonmetallic character.23