are much fewer

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are much fewer" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is commonly used when comparing the quantity of one thing to another, and indicating that the first thing is significantly less than the second. Example: "In comparison to last year, the number of attendees at the conference are much fewer."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

But they are much fewer and farther between, with a higher proportion of body-conscious foreigners.

The New York Times

In land-use accounting, facts are much fewer and further between.

The Guardian

"The town is much smaller, so the business opportunities are much fewer unless you're in tourism, medicine or construction".

The New York Times

The days of players playing five matches in this event these days, there are much fewer of them".

The Guardian - Sport

Douglas McNeill, analyst from Blue Oar Securities, says: 'We are heading in the direction where there are much fewer regulatory obstacles to consolidation.

The Guardian - Business

The downside is that there are much fewer apps to choose from in this curated store (10,000 instead of the over half a million on a regular Android device).

Independent

Yet, as will become apparent later, there have been major changes in the distribution of wealth, and there has been a general improvement in living standards, so that the poor are much fewer today than they were in 1939.

The New Yorker

Thanks to the trial against Pussy Riot, the main theme of discussion in Russian society became the role of the Orthodox church in the life of the country, and there are much fewer opponents of Orthodoxy among Russians than opponents of Putin.

The Guardian - Opinion

While you can understand that FIDE don't want to have to rush to work on big Open tournaments at the last moment, an elite all-play-all is completely different - there are much fewer games, no difficult names to reconcile and above all the results are well known and not subject to error.

The Guardian - Sport

When (pneq2), the corresponding results are much fewer.

Boundary Value Problems

In the winter, there are much fewer tourists.

Ecological Processes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "are much fewer", ensure that the context clearly establishes what is being compared and why the reduction is significant. For example, "Opportunities for advancement in this field are much fewer than they were a decade ago".

Common error

Avoid using "is much fewer" when referring to a collective noun that requires a plural verb. For example, instead of saying "The number of available options is much fewer", use "The number of available options are much fewer" when the focus is on the individual options themselves.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "are much fewer" functions as a comparative quantifier, indicating a smaller quantity of something in comparison to something else. Ludwig examples show it used to describe a reduced number of opportunities, resources, or occurrences.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

45%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "are much fewer" is a grammatically correct and frequently used comparative quantifier that indicates a notable reduction in quantity. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's widely applicable across diverse contexts, including science, news, and formal business settings. When using this phrase, ensure that the context makes clear the comparative aspect and that you're referring to countable nouns. While alternatives such as "are considerably less" or "are significantly reduced" exist, "are much fewer" offers a direct and easily understood way to express diminished amounts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

are considerably less

Expresses a noticeable decrease in quantity or degree.

are significantly reduced

Highlights a substantial decrease or diminution.

are substantially diminished

Indicates a considerable lessening in size, importance, or intensity.

are far less common

Emphasizes the infrequency of occurrence.

are markedly lower

Conveys a clear and noticeable decrease.

are substantially fewer in number

Reiterates the concept of reduced quantity with added emphasis.

are appreciably smaller

Implies a reduction that is easily noticeable or measurable.

are noticeably scarcer

Focuses on the increased difficulty in finding or obtaining something.

are distinctly atypical

Indicates a departure from the norm or usual occurrence.

have significantly declined

Illustrates a downward trend or decrease over time.

FAQs

How can I use "are much fewer" in a sentence?

Use "are much fewer" to indicate that the quantity of something is significantly less compared to something else. For example, "There "are much fewer" job openings this year than last year".

What is a synonym for "are much fewer"?

Alternatives to "are much fewer" include "are considerably less", "are significantly reduced", or "are far less common", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "is much fewer"?

No, "is much fewer" is generally incorrect. The correct form is "are much fewer", as it agrees with plural nouns. Use "is much less" for uncountable nouns instead.

What's the difference between "are much fewer" and "are much less"?

"Are much fewer" is used for countable nouns (e.g., "There "are much fewer" apples in the basket"), while "are much less" is used for uncountable nouns (e.g., "There "is much less" water in the bottle").