a lesser distance

USAGE SUMMARY

"a lesser distance" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to compare two distances; for example, "It takes twice as long to drive to the nearest beach, but there is a lesser distance to the next beach."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

This one was, inevitably, scored from a lesser distance than David Beckham's, but it was still a thing of beauty, a splendid, thumping volley from the edge of the area to help Sheffield Wednesday win a home game against Aston Villa.

The Guardian - Sport

From a lesser distance, it's deafening.

TechCrunch

In this case, vehicle 7 will receive a duplicate data packet from a vehicle at a lesser distance in the direction of message propagation (i.e., vehicle 4).

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

However, after the motion of the high energy ions was initially studied, this time step was decreased to 0.002 s in order to ensure that the high energy ions moved through a lesser distance than the smallest grid size used (~180 km) during the time step selected.

Earth, Planets and Space

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

The wells were located at a greater or lesser distance from the point sources of pollution of agricultural origin (farms and organic fertilizers depots) and septic systems.

Applied Water Science

The mode of teaching that is reflected is mostly blended and, to a lesser extent, distance learning.

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education

Robocars, on the other hand, when they need to wait, will search the "spot market" for a large radius around their location, parking at the lot which offers the best combination of price, service and to a lesser extent distance.

Forbes

Thus photons are likelier to reach the side-walls rather than the ends of the narrow channel, as that entails lesser distance of travel.

Journal of Theoretical and Applied Physics

On the other hand, IRS1 and IRS2 seem to have lesser distance of branching length from the node.

Plosone

This ranges, as described above, from no constraint (no splitting between local and non-local) to the maximum locality constraint of an MLQ>120 and distance <83 km, with lower LQ cut offs and the lesser distance cut offs lying somewhere between these two extremes.

European Journal of Human Genetics

The interaction between distance upstream and into the forest is interpreted as having a lesser importance of distance into the forest with distance upstream (Table  4).

BMC Ecology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a lesser distance" to clearly indicate a comparison between two distances, emphasizing that one is smaller than the other. For example, "Although the main road is faster, there's "a lesser distance" if you take the side streets."

Common error

Avoid using "fewer distance" as "distance" is a non-countable noun. "Lesser" correctly modifies non-countable nouns to indicate a smaller amount or degree. Therefore, always use "a lesser distance" instead of "a fewer distance".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a lesser distance" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun. According to Ludwig AI, it is grammatically sound. It is commonly used to describe a shorter or reduced length between two points.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

37%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a lesser distance" is a grammatically correct and usable expression used to compare two distances, indicating that one is shorter than the other. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. While its frequency is uncommon, it appears in various contexts, especially in scientific and news-related articles. When using this phrase, ensure you are comparing two distances. Alternatives such as "a shorter distance" or "a reduced distance" can be used for similar meanings. Avoid confusing it with "fewer distance", as "distance" is a non-countable noun. Overall, it's a clear and effective way to describe spatial relationships.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a shorter distance

Emphasizes the reduced length between two points.

a reduced distance

Highlights the act of making the distance smaller.

a smaller separation

Focuses on the space between objects rather than the overall length.

a minimal distance

Implies the distance is as small as possible.

a nearby location

Shifts focus to the destination being close.

a close proximity

Highlights the nearness of one thing to another.

a more proximate area

Similar to close proximity but perhaps more formal.

a less extensive span

Emphasizes the reduced extent or reach.

a narrower gap

Suggests a reduced space or opening between two things.

a closer range

Implies a shorter distance, often in the context of observation or action.

FAQs

How can I use "a lesser distance" in a sentence?

Use "a lesser distance" to compare two distances, indicating one is shorter: "The scenic route involves "a lesser distance", but the highway is faster."

What's a good alternative to "a lesser distance"?

Depending on the context, you might use "a shorter distance", "a reduced distance", or "a nearby location".

Is it grammatically correct to say "fewer distance" instead of "a lesser distance"?

No, it is incorrect. "Distance" is a non-countable noun, so you should use "lesser" to indicate a smaller amount, not "fewer", which is for countable nouns.

What is the difference between "a short distance" and "a lesser distance"?

"A short distance" describes a distance that is small in and of itself. "A lesser distance" compares two distances, indicating that one is shorter than the other.