More less than

USAGE SUMMARY

"more less than" is not a correct phrase in written English.
You would not use it in a sentence. To phrase correctly, you could instead use "less than" or "fewer than," depending on the context. Example: There are fewer than 500 students enrolled in the program this year.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

More less than more, on balance.

The Guardian

The colors to fit your personality are based on nothing more less than yin and yang.

The New Yorker

They must hope New Zealand's relatively low-key campaign has one more less than stellar performance in it.

The Guardian - Sport

Council social workers have just been offered a 0.5% pay increase - once more, less than teachers, health workers, police officers and politicians.

The Guardian

One can easily see from these tables that the absolute error at boundaries is much more less than 10−17.

Advances in Difference Equations

As the training participation differs rather strongly between small and large firms, I present the results separately for firms with more (less) than 50 employees.

Empirical Research in Vocational Education and Training

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

One of the ideas that its corporate-fraud task-force, a sort of legal think-tank set up to absorb political pressure, has been floating is to bring more less-than-airtight cases before juries, as an antidote to the conservative instincts that white-collar crime encourages among prosecutors.Prosecutors have some things going for them.

The Economist

"Imperial Bedrooms" is more violent than "Less Than Zero".

The New York Times - Books

"But homosexuality is no more less a sin than fornication.

The Guardian - Music

Pretty people earn more money than average-looking people, who earn more than less-than-average-looking people.

Huffington Post

More or less than 1 indicates more variation than would be expected by the Rasch model.

BMC Health Services Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "more less than" in your writing. Replace it with grammatically correct alternatives like "less than" or "fewer than" for clear and accurate communication.

Common error

A frequent error is using "more less than" when intending to express a smaller quantity or degree. Ensure you use the correct comparative form, such as "less than", to avoid grammatical errors and maintain clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "more less than" is generally used in comparative statements. However, it's grammatically incorrect, as it combines two opposing comparative terms. Ludwig AI indicates that it's not a correct phrase in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

10%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "more less than" is an ungrammatical construction that Ludwig AI identifies as incorrect in written English. While it appears in some sources, including News & Media and Science, it's generally considered an error. The intended meaning is usually to express that something is "less than" or "fewer than" something else, depending on countability. To ensure clarity and grammatical correctness, it's best to replace "more less than" with appropriate alternatives like "less than", "fewer than", or other comparative phrases that accurately convey the intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Less than

Corrects the word order to indicate a quantity that is smaller.

Fewer than

Emphasizes a smaller quantity of countable items, correcting the grammatical error.

Not as much as

Expresses a smaller amount or degree, offering a grammatically sound alternative.

Smaller than

Indicates a reduced size or extent, providing a correct comparative form.

Lower than

Suggests a decrease in level or value, presenting a grammatically correct option.

Inferior to

Denotes a lower quality or status, replacing the incorrect phrase with a proper comparison.

To a lesser extent than

Emphasizes a reduced degree of something, offering a formal and correct alternative.

Not exceeding

Implies a maximum limit that is not surpassed, correcting the initial grammatical error.

To a smaller degree

Highlights a diminished level of intensity, replacing the ungrammatical phrase.

Of reduced magnitude

Indicates a decreased size or importance, presenting a formal and grammatically sound option.

FAQs

How to correct the phrase "More less than" in a sentence?

Replace "more less than" with alternatives such as "less than" or "fewer than" depending on whether you're referring to uncountable or countable nouns.

What is the difference between "less than" and "fewer than"?

"Less than" is used for uncountable nouns (e.g., water, money), while "fewer than" is used for countable nouns (e.g., apples, people).

Is "more less than" grammatically correct?

No, "more less than" is grammatically incorrect. It's an improper combination of comparative terms. Use "less than" or "fewer than" instead.

When should I use "less than" instead of "more less than"?

Always use "less than" when you want to indicate that something is smaller in quantity, degree, or amount. The phrase "more less than" is never grammatically appropriate.