a lesser effect

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a lesser effect" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing the impact or influence of something that is not as significant as another. Example: "The new policy had a lesser effect on employee morale than anticipated."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

These acids have a lesser effect on climate.

Britannica

Valgus malalignment had a lesser effect: 30° valgus displaced it laterally by 1.5 cm.

Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery

Aspect had a lesser effect on collembolan community composition than grazing.

Soil Biology and Biochemistry

A lesser effect is observed for polymer-only and surfactant-only coated samples.

Journal of Colloid and Interface Science

We hypothesize that tapentadol 100 mg has a lesser effect on the control of breathing than oxycodone 20 mg.

British Journal of Anaesthesia

Added water vapour has a lesser effect on activity but is equally beneficial in terms of selectivity to nitrogen.

Catalysis Today

Countermeasures that are designed to alert drivers' cognitive attention, such as high visibility crosswalks and posted speed limit reduction signs, appear to have a lesser effect.

Accident Analysis & Prevention

It is also shown that the low-Mach number correction has a lesser effect on the results as the order of the spatial accuracy increases.

Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering

Residues that extend beyond the plane of the molecule (10 15) have a lesser effect on ATPase interaction than those lining the pore (1 7 and 16 20).

Journal of Structural Biology

For the same phase contents and fineness, differences in distribution have a significant effect on early-age properties but a lesser effect at later ages.

Construction and Building Materials

It was concluded that the enhancements observed are mainly due to the SiC NWS (wt%) and the dispersion has a lesser effect.

Construction and Building Materials

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing two or more effects, use "a lesser effect" to clearly indicate which has a smaller impact. For example, "While both strategies had an impact, the second one had "a lesser effect"".

Common error

While grammatically correct, consistently using "a lesser effect" can make your writing sound repetitive. Try to incorporate synonyms like "minimal impact" or "reduced influence" to add variety.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a lesser effect" functions as a comparative descriptor, indicating that one action, variable, or factor has a reduced influence relative to another. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. It's commonly used to contrast outcomes.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a lesser effect" is a common and grammatically sound way to express a comparative reduction in impact. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. Its primary function is to indicate that one factor has a smaller influence than another. Predominantly found in scientific and news-related sources, it maintains a neutral tone suitable for various writing contexts. Remember to use it when a clear comparison is intended and consider synonyms to avoid repetition.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a smaller impact

Replaces "effect" with "impact", which is a synonym, maintaining the same meaning.

a weaker effect

Substitutes "lesser" with "weaker" for a more direct comparison of strength.

a reduced influence

Substitutes "effect" with "influence", focusing on the power to affect something.

a diminished consequence

Replaces "effect" with "consequence", highlighting the outcome of an action.

a slighter result

Uses "slighter" and "result" for a more understated tone.

a lighter impact

Employs "lighter" to suggest a less forceful influence.

a minimal impact

Emphasizes the insignificance of the effect.

a marginal consequence

Highlights the barely noticeable nature of the consequence.

a negligible outcome

Indicates that the outcome is so small it can be ignored.

a trivial result

Suggests the result is unimportant or insignificant.

FAQs

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

You can use "a lesser effect" to compare the impact of two different things. For example, "The medication had "a lesser effect" on his sleep than it did on his appetite".

What's the difference between "a lesser effect" and "a minor impact"?

While both phrases convey a small degree of influence, "a lesser effect" directly compares two effects, whereas "a minor impact" simply describes a single effect as being small. They can often be used interchangeably, but the comparative context is key for "a lesser effect".

What can I say instead of "a lesser effect"?

You can use alternatives like "a reduced effect", "a smaller impact", or "a minimal influence" depending on the specific context.

Is it ever incorrect to use the phrase "a lesser effect"?

The phrase "a lesser effect" is grammatically correct, but it should be used when you're actually comparing two effects. If you are not making a comparison, a phrase like "a small effect" might be more appropriate.