at its lesser

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "at its lesser" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express a comparison or a diminished state, but it lacks clarity and proper usage. Example: "The project was successful, but at its lesser, it still faced several challenges."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

At its lesser moments, it's hapless, like a poorly lighted mumblecore movie.

The New York Times - Books

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Some analysts wonder whether it is putting the cart before the horse to discuss constitutional matters before reaching a political settlement, which will necessarily have to include al-Shabaab (or at least its lesser hardline elements as it is not a monolithic group).

The Guardian

The Liberal Democrat culture spokesman, Don Foster, says: "BBC4 is the BBC at its best, supporting riskier, lesser known projects that would otherwise struggle to find airtime".

The Guardian

Three shoulders disclosed partial detachment of the inferior portion of the subscapularis tendon at its insertion into the lesser tuberosity (Fig.  5).

Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research

Tendon release may be performed at the level of the hip joint through an anterior capsulotomy (trans-capsular) [12] (Fig. 2) or at its distal insertion to the lesser trochanter within the iliopsoas bursa (Figs. 3, 4) [12].

Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology

The lateral movement is dominated by the second eigenfrequency and to a lesser degree at its second harmonic represented by a smaller peak.

Computers and Fluids

Wednesday saw the Lesser Awfulism strategy at its most effective.

The Guardian - Opinion

After opening at nearly 90percentt of The Force Awakens' strength, The Last Jedi has steadily fallen behind, and by Wednesday, its 6th full day in release, it was holding its audience at a lesser rate than every one of the previous eight live action Star Wars movies.

Forbes

It is for these women that the Panel believed that the approach adopted by successive St Gallen Panels based on the available clinico-pathological testing, and now expressed in the surrogate IHC-based classification shown in Table 2 will be more widely applicable at lesser cost, notwithstanding its limited validation.

Annals of Oncology

It is for these women that the 2013 St Gallen Panel believed that the approach adopted, based on the available clinicopathological testing and now expressed in our proposed immunohistochemistry-based surrogate classification scheme, will be more widely applicable at lesser cost, notwithstanding its limited validation.

Breast Cancer Research

I look at it as the lesser of two evils.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "at its lesser" in formal writing. Opt for more precise and grammatically sound alternatives like "at its weakest" or "in its diminished state" for clarity and professionalism.

Common error

A common mistake is to assume "lesser" can directly follow a preposition like "at" in this construction. Instead, rephrase to use a noun phrase that correctly expresses the intended meaning, such as "at its lowest point" or "in its reduced form".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "at its lesser" functions as a prepositional phrase, attempting to modify a noun or verb by indicating a diminished or reduced state. Ludwig AI indicates it's not correct, and it lacks a clear, standard grammatical function in English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

34%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "at its lesser" is considered grammatically incorrect and lacks a clear meaning in standard English. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment. While it appears in some sources, its usage is infrequent and discouraged in formal writing. Alternatives like "at its lowest point" or "in its diminished state" are recommended for clarity and grammatical correctness. The phrase attempts to convey a reduced quality or importance but fails to do so effectively due to its non-standard structure. Therefore, avoiding "at its lesser" in favor of more accepted alternatives is advisable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

at its lowest point

Replaces "lesser" with "lowest point", emphasizing the lowest possible level.

in its reduced form

Uses "reduced form" to highlight a state of being diminished or lessened.

at its minimal level

Substitutes "lesser" with "minimal level", indicating the smallest possible quantity or degree.

at its weakest

Replaces "lesser" with "weakest", focusing on the state of being feeble or lacking strength.

at its diminished capacity

Emphasizes the reduced ability or capability, replacing "lesser" with "diminished capacity".

in a subordinate role

Shifts the focus to a hierarchical context, indicating a lower or secondary position.

at its secondary importance

Highlights the diminished significance, replacing "lesser" with "secondary importance".

at a smaller scale

Emphasizes the reduced size or extent, replacing "lesser" with "smaller scale".

with less significance

Focuses on the decreased importance or relevance, using "less significance" instead of "lesser".

in a minor capacity

Implies a less important or substantial role or function.

FAQs

How can I rephrase the phrase "at its lesser"?

Alternatives include "at its lowest point", "in its reduced form", or "at its minimal level" depending on the context.

Is "at its lesser" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "at its lesser" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. More appropriate phrasing would be "at its lowest" or "in its diminished state."

What's the difference between "at its lesser" and "at its lowest"?

"At its lesser" is not standard English. "At its lowest" is grammatically sound and conveys the meaning of being at the minimum or most reduced state.

How to avoid mistakes when using phrases similar to "at its lesser"?

Focus on using grammatically correct comparative forms and ensure the phrasing accurately reflects the intended meaning. Using alternatives such as "with less significance" or "in a minor capacity" can help avoid ambiguity.