less

adjective

\ ˈles

Definition of less

(Entry 1 of 5)

comparative of little entry 1

1 : constituting a more limited number or amount less than three less than half done

2 : of lower rank, degree, or importance no less a person than the president himself

3a : of reduced size, extent, or degree

b : more limited in quantity in less time

no less

—used to emphasize that something is regarded as impressive or surprising wants to be driven to the airport, in a limousine no less

less

adverb

Definition of less (Entry 2 of 5)

comparative of little entry 2

: to a lesser extent or degree

less and less

: to a progressively smaller size or extent

less than

: by no means : not at all less than honest in his replies

less

noun

plural less

Definition of less (Entry 3 of 5)

1 : a smaller portion or quantity

2 : something of less importance

less

preposition

Definition of less (Entry 4 of 5)

: diminished by : minus

-less

adjective suffix

Definition of -less (Entry 5 of 5)

1 : destitute of : not having witless childless

2 : unable to be acted on or to act (in a specified way) dauntless fadeless

Synonyms & Antonyms Less vs. Fewer: Usage Guide More Example Sentences Learn More about less

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Less vs. Fewer: Usage Guide

Adjective

The traditional view is that less applies to matters of degree, value, or amount and modifies collective nouns, mass nouns, or nouns denoting an abstract whole while fewer applies to matters of number and modifies plural nouns. Less has been used to modify plural nouns since the days of King Alfred and the usage, though roundly decried, appears to be increasing. Less is more likely than fewer to modify plural nouns when distances, sums of money, and a few fixed phrases are involved less than 100 miles an investment of less than $2000 in 25 words or less and as likely as fewer to modify periods of time. in less (or fewer) than four hours

Examples of less in a Sentence

Adjective

We need less talk and more work! She finished in less time than I did. Less detail is sometimes better than more detail. 8 times 2 is less than 6 times 3. We made it there in less than six hours. The whole procedure takes less than five minutes. The illness affects less than one percent of the population.

Adverb

This test seemed much less difficult than the last one. Which test is the less difficult of the two? Do you have another one that's less expensive? She visits much less often than she used to. They're focusing more on quality and less on quantity. Their band is less concerned with making music than with making money.

Preposition

We earned two hundred dollars, less travel expenses.

Adjective suffix

my first painless day since leaving the hospital

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

That is less than a third as fast as South Korea, the world leader at 28.6 Mbps. — Dennis Normile, Science | AAAS, "Science suffers as China’s internet censors plug holes in Great Firewall," 30 Aug. 2017 And neither the Police Department nor the Justice Department has released subsequent drafts, much less a final one. — jsonline.com, "Trust damaged between Milwaukee police and community, Department of Justice draft report says," 30 Aug. 2017 Abdullah totaled 99 yards in less than one half of the Week Three preseason game. ▪ — Alan Satterlee, charlotteobserver, "These 22 fantasy football draft tips will help you nail your opening lineup," 30 Aug. 2017 No city is prepared for that, much less a city with as limited a planning process as Houston’s. — Ed Kilgore, Daily Intelligencer, "More Zoning Wouldn’t Have Protected Houston From Harvey’s Fury, But Less Sprawl Would Have Helped," 29 Aug. 2017 Most of the wildly energetic songs sung by magnetic vocalist Marisa Dabice are less than two. — Dan Deluca, Philly.com, "10 Philly acts to catch at Made in America," 29 Aug. 2017 Though that greyscale removal process probably would have killed a lesser man. — Katey Rich, HWD, "What Actually Happened on Game of Thrones This Season," 28 Aug. 2017 That is less true of applicants from countries that send fewer immigrants, which compounds the perception that our immigration system is maddeningly arbitrary. — Reihan Salam, National Review, "The Case for Skills-Based Immigration," 28 Aug. 2017 Pillowy baos (buns) filled with fried chicken, confit pork, or lamb shoulder await, and cost less than a tube ticket. — Condé Nast Traveler, "Have you been here?," 25 Aug. 2017

Recent Examples on the Web: Adverb

Coutinho's future was one of constant speculation over the transfer window, with Barcelona desperate to flog off the forward after a less-than inspiring 18 months in Catalunya - which yielded just 21 goals. — SI.com, "Jurgen Klopp Reveals What He Told Philippe Coutinho Ahead of Brazilian's Bayern Munich Move," 8 Sep. 2019 Along each step of his coaching career, during two decades spent exclusively at colleges in Ohio, Luke Fickell has viewed Ohio State-Cincinnati football games with a less-than-stellar opinion. — Fletcher Page, Cincinnati.com, "Trip to Ohio State could be UC football's last shot at in-state supremacy for a long time," 7 Sep. 2019 Texas receiver Devin Duvernay responded by breaking free on a quick inside slant - on fourth-and-3, no less - and blazing 44 yards downfield for the score. — Nick Moyle, Houston Chronicle, "Texas falls to LSU in instant classic," 7 Sep. 2019 As Hall Brothers’ phone rang less frequently over the years, Ables was torn over whether to close the business that his uncles had started after migrating from Mississippi in the 1930s. — Paul Schwartzman, Washington Post, "At center of changing DC, requiem for a funeral home that catered to blacks," 6 Sep. 2019 Questions continue to linger surrounding USC’s secondary, but aside from a few youthful mistakes, the unit was fine enough in its debut, holding a less-than-stellar Fresno State passer under 50%. — Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, "USC-Stanford: A look at how the teams match up," 6 Sep. 2019 As an illicit street drug, it was often used in less-than-pure forms and under less-than-therapeutic conditions. — Wallace Baine

less

Definition of less

Synonyms & Antonyms for less

Less vs. Fewer: Usage Guide

Examples of less in a Sentence

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