Less incidence

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Less incidence" is not correct in standard English; it should be "Less incidence" or "Lower incidence." You can use it when discussing the frequency of an event or condition, typically in a medical or statistical context.
Example: "The new vaccine has resulted in less incidence of the disease among the population."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

46 human-written examples

In fact a study by the Laboratory for Human Biology Research at Northwestern University found that children exposed to more animal faeces and suffering more cases of diarrhoea before the age of two had less incidence of inflammation in the body in later years.

The Guardian

Spouses however had 4% less incidence of the disease during the outbreak.

Health Economics Review

One reason: Brits have less incidence of common diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke and cancer.

Forbes

In Schatzker V or VI fractures, ARIF treatment was limited to less comminuted fractures and showed less incidence of infection.

Strategies in Trauma and Limb Reconstruction

No difference was found between the groups in the incidence of postoperative complications and the days required until discharge, except less incidence of hypoalbuminemia in the GI group.

JA Clinical Reports

There is considerably less incidence of relatively elevated As concentrations, however As regulation is in some cases 100 fold more permissive with respect to Hg.

International Journal of Food Contamination

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

13 human-written examples

Less cancer, less incidences of cancer need to be a shared priority for all.

Huffington Post

The work for less incidences of cancer comes with the understanding that people can -- and do -- change.

Huffington Post

The patients of the 4-T study on insulin detemir reported on 50% less incidences of hypoglycemia per patient year compared with those on insulin glargine in the APOLLO trial.

Diabetes Care

Spouses however had 4% less likely incidence of the disease.

Health Economics Review

The calendar schedule was the only timing treatment that resulted in significantly less blight incidence than the control in all experiments.

Crop Protection

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While "Less incidence" is commonly used, favor alternatives such as "Lower incidence" or "Reduced incidence" for greater grammatical correctness and clarity in formal writing. Consider that the term "incidence" describes a frequency, thus the adjective "lower" is more appropriate than "less".

Common error

Avoid using "less" when referring to countable items. Although "incidence" is often used in a general sense, it technically refers to a count of occurrences. Use "fewer" or restructure the sentence to use "lower" instead of "less."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Less incidence" functions as a noun phrase, typically used to indicate a reduction in the occurrence or frequency of a particular event or condition. Though frequently encountered, Ludwig AI highlights its grammatical ambiguity.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

76%

News & Media

22%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "Less incidence" is frequently used, particularly in scientific and news contexts, it is often flagged as grammatically questionable. Ludwig AI indicates that alternatives like "lower incidence" or "reduced incidence" are generally preferred for grammatical accuracy. Despite its prevalence, especially in academic and professional settings, opting for grammatically sound alternatives will enhance clarity and precision in your writing. The common usage of "Less incidence" highlights a potential area for improvement in formal communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Lower incidence

Replaces "less" with "lower", resulting in a grammatically standard phrase.

Reduced incidence

Substitutes "less" with "reduced", offering a grammatically sound alternative.

Decreased incidence

Replaces "less" with "decreased", providing a formal and correct alternative.

Fewer occurrences

Shifts from "incidence" to "occurrences", addressing grammatical concerns about countability.

Diminished frequency

Changes both "less" and "incidence" to "diminished" and "frequency", respectively, for a complete stylistic and grammatical change.

Lower rate of occurrence

Rephrases the entire expression to emphasize the rate at which something happens.

Decline in incidence

Uses "decline" as a noun to indicate a reduction in incidence.

Drop in incidence

Uses "drop" to express the reduction, implying a sudden decrease.

Lesser frequency of cases

Employs "lesser frequency" to highlight the reduced number of cases.

Reduced number of instances

Focuses on the reduced count of individual instances.

FAQs

What's the correct way to say "Less incidence"?

While commonly used, "Less incidence" isn't grammatically ideal. It's better to say "lower incidence" or "reduced incidence". "Lower" and "reduced" are more appropriate adjectives in this context.

When is it appropriate to use "Less incidence"?

Although widespread, especially in scientific and news reporting, "Less incidence" is considered grammatically incorrect by some. In formal writing, opt for alternatives like "decreased incidence" for better clarity and correctness.

What alternatives can I use instead of "Less incidence"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "lower rate of occurrence", "decline in incidence", or "drop in incidence" to convey a similar meaning while adhering to standard grammatical rules.

Is "Less incidence" grammatically correct?

No, "Less incidence" is not considered grammatically correct. While frequently used, it should be replaced with "lower incidence" or "reduced incidence" for accurate and clear communication.