as less as possible

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "as less as possible" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct expression is "as little as possible." Example: "I try to use as little plastic as possible to reduce my environmental impact."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

Wiki

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

31 human-written examples

Moreover, to avoid stall and separation, angle of attack should be kept as less as possible.

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews

The goal is to insert this bitask in the schedule while increasing as less as possible the sum of the delays of the initial schedule.

Computers & Operations Research

Significant care has been taken for the ASIC performance to depend as less as possible on CMOS process and transistor-parameter variations that increase due to poor uniformity of the transistor substrate.

Sensors and Actuators A: Physical

The challenge is to fabricate porous Si/C materials with small surface area by depositing carbon as less as possible and maintaining the interior porous structure of Si to achieve high initial Coulombic efficiency and good cycling stability at the same time.

Materials Today Energy

This indicates that its best policy is to decrease the value of as less as possible.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

That is, to make the ventilation fee as less as possible.

International Journal of Coal Science & Technology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

29 human-written examples

The statements were coded as: Variable Statement Minimising effort I tried to decide with as less effort as possible Maximising accuracy I tried to choose the best of all possible alternatives.

European Journal of Futures Research

The requirements in pitch angle control of winged body are a very fast response with as less oscillation as possible.

IFAC Proceedings Volumes

Designed for a biological application, these coils have to be as less invasive as possible and they must allow studying small quantities of metabolites surrounding the microcoil.

Sensors and Actuators A: Physical

(Okay I'm kinda begging for feedback at this point, but this could go on for a long time, if last night's game was any indication, I'm looking to be as less lonely as possible this afternoon).

The Guardian - Sport

The presence of some black pigments in several archaeological glass objects gave us the opportunity to study the nature of these products, in order to evaluate the results of an electrochemical method to characterise lead compounds when only heterogeneous microsamples are available and the material requires to be as less manipulated as possible.

Electrochimica Acta

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to minimize something, replace "as less as possible" with the grammatically correct phrase "as little as possible" or "as few as possible", depending on whether you're referring to uncountable or countable nouns.

Common error

Avoid using "less" when referring to countable items. "Less" is for uncountable nouns (e.g., less water), while "few" is for countable nouns (e.g., fewer apples). For example, instead of saying "use less apples", say "use "as few as possible" apples".

Linguistic Context

The phrase, though grammatically incorrect, attempts to function as an adverbial modifier, indicating the degree to which an action or state should be minimized. Despite its errors, users employ it to express the desire to reduce something to a minimum. As Ludwig AI indicates, the construction is not correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

40%

Wiki

24%

News & Media

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Academia

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

While "as less as possible" is a frequently used phrase, it's essential to acknowledge that it's grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, the correct alternatives are "as little as possible" (for uncountable nouns) and ""as few as possible"" (for countable nouns). Despite its prevalence across various sources, including scientific publications and news articles, it is advisable to avoid this phrase in formal writing. Remember that selecting the right term can make a huge difference, so prefer the alternative that has a perfect grammar.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as little as possible

Replaces "less" with "little", correcting the grammatical error and expressing the same meaning.

as few as possible

Replaces "less" with "few", using the correct term for countable nouns.

to the minimum extent possible

Uses a more formal tone and structure to convey a similar meaning.

to the smallest degree possible

Emphasizes the tiny amount or level that is desired, adding intensity.

as minimally as possible

Uses the adverb "minimally" to focus on reducing something to a minimal level.

as slightly as possible

Suggests aiming for the smallest possible change or effect.

as infrequently as possible

Focuses on minimizing the frequency of an action or event.

as rarely as possible

Highlights the infrequency with which something should occur.

as lightly as possible

Emphasizes a gentle or delicate approach to minimize impact.

to minimize

Provides a concise, actionable way to express the need to reduce something.

FAQs

Is "as less as possible" grammatically correct?

No, "as less as possible" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase is "as little as possible" for uncountable nouns, or ""as few as possible"" for countable nouns.

When should I use "as little as possible" versus "as few as possible"?

"As little as possible" should be used with uncountable nouns (e.g., water, time, effort). "As few as possible" should be used with countable nouns (e.g., apples, minutes, attempts).

What are some alternatives to "as less as possible"?

Some alternatives include "to minimize", "as minimally as possible", or phrases like "to the minimum extent possible", depending on the desired level of formality.

How can I avoid making mistakes with "less" and "few"?

A helpful tip is to remember that if you can count the items individually, use "few". If you can't count them individually, use "less". For example, you have fewer coins, but less money.