coming less

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "coming less" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in contexts where you want to indicate a decrease in frequency or occurrence of something. Example: "I noticed that people are coming less to the meetings this month."

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

After a while they started coming less and less.

The New York Times

Then, after a few weeks, he began coming less often.

The New York Times

BET you that, as a money-saving measure, trains start coming less frequently during off-peak hours.

The New York Times

The move has been shrouded in controversy, coming less than a year before London hosts the Olympics.

The Guardian

Coming less than two weeks before confirmation hearings, the public questioning by Republican senators may be an ominous sign.

The New York Times

In other words, satisfaction in those fields is perceived as coming less from collaborating and helping people than from attaining individual self-advancement.

The New Yorker

He seems to be picking up the pace, however, with "To the Wonder" (April 12) coming less than two years after "The Tree of Life".

The New Yorker

It was the second big storm of the season for Washington, coming less than two months after a Dec. 19 snowfall of 16 inches.

The New York Times

But the session, coming less than two weeks after the presidential election, could put Mr. Bush on a collision course with his successor.

The New York Times

Wealthy foreigners, like the Russians, are coming less frequently to check their anonymous bank accounts, so sales in the luxury shops along the glitzy Bahnhofstrasse are hurting.

The New York Times

The BBC has already faced questions over the cost and the timing of the move, coming less than a year before the capital hosts the Olympics.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "coming less" to describe reduced attendance or participation in events or activities.

Common error

Avoid using "coming less" when you actually mean "becoming smaller" or "reducing in size". "Coming less" refers specifically to frequency, not quantity or dimension.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "coming less" functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating a decrease in the frequency of an action. The phrase modifies verbs of movement or occurrence, specifying that something is happening or being done with reduced regularity. As Ludwig AI suggests, this phrase is not always considered standard in written English but is used to show the concept of reducing frequence or occurrence.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

17%

Formal & Business

16%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "coming less" is a phrase used to indicate a reduction in frequency, attendance, or occurrence, functioning as an adverbial modifier. While Ludwig AI recognizes that this is not considered a standard English phrase, it is widely used and understood, and is seen in a variety of sources such as news, media and science. Although grammatically acceptable and commonly used, is important to assess if the context is a good fit or a more precise alternative such as ""visiting less often"" should be used.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

visiting less often

Replaces "coming" with "visiting" and adds "often" for clarity, emphasizing the frequency of visits.

attending less frequently

Substitutes "coming" with "attending" and "less" with "less frequently", providing a more formal tone.

appearing less

Replaces "coming" with "appearing", suggesting a decrease in visibility or presence.

happening less often

Changes the focus to the occurrence of an event, rather than someone's arrival, using "happening" instead of "coming".

diminishing in frequency

Offers a more formal and emphatic way of saying something is "coming less", highlighting the gradual decrease.

decreasing in occurrence

Similar to "diminishing in frequency" but focuses on the event's occurrence rather than its frequency.

reducing visits

Focuses on the action of reducing visits, implying a conscious decision to come less.

seeing less of

Indicates a decrease in interaction or visibility, focusing on the act of "seeing" someone or something.

becoming rarer

Shifts the emphasis to the rarity of the event or visit, rather than the act of coming.

tapering off

Implies a gradual decrease, suggesting a slow reduction in frequency or intensity of coming.

FAQs

How can I use "coming less" in a sentence?

You can use "coming less" to describe a decrease in frequency, such as "They are "visiting less often" now that they've moved further away" or "The trains are "running less frequently" during off-peak hours".

What's a more formal way to say "coming less"?

More formal alternatives include "attending less frequently" or "decreasing in attendance", which may be more suitable for professional or academic contexts.

Is "coming less" grammatically correct?

While not always considered the most elegant phrasing, "coming less" is generally acceptable in informal contexts. However, it's important to ensure the meaning is clear, and more precise alternatives may be preferred in formal writing.

What's the difference between "coming less" and "visiting less"?

While similar, "coming less" emphasizes the action of coming itself, while "visiting less" specifically refers to visits. The best choice depends on the specific context and intended nuance.