considerably fewer than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "considerably fewer than" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing quantities, indicating that one amount is significantly less than another. Example: "The survey revealed that there were considerably fewer than 100 participants in the study."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

48 human-written examples

These, as well as the new com munities now being built, are developments of considerably fewer than 100,000 people.

The New York Times

Overall, 15% more patients would be put on statins under the new guidelines — considerably fewer than some observers had predicted, he added.

Yale University

Between 20 and 40 works on paper go into each film, considerably fewer than the thousands of cels used in Disney-style animation.

The New York Times - Arts

There are again a grand total of "not enough" boundaries from that over (1), which is considerably fewer than the required boundary rate of "more than that".

The Guardian - Sport

Hill's show had considerably fewer than the 5.7 million viewers (24.2%) who saw the launch episode of his equivalent new series in October last year.

The Guardian

This is considerably fewer than "one in five" women overall, so jumping to extreme conclusions based on this is probably not a good … oh, too late.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

12 human-written examples

However, the highest accuracy of prediction of PLSR was obtained with subsets including considerably fewer SNP than the high-density assay and fewer SNP than the best subset for RR.

Genetics, Selection, Evolution

Mr. Gore and Mr. Bradley together polled considerably fewer votes than Mr. Bush and Mr. McCain together.

The New York Times

Even in high season, the area attracts considerably fewer skiers than the big-name resorts in other countries.

The Guardian - Travel

By combining these innovations, the researchers were able to "see" cancers even when there were considerably fewer cells than they could previously detect.

Harvard University

Many German conservatives respect Juncker for having trimmed the output of the commission, which has been issuing considerably fewer guidelines than under his predecessor.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "considerably fewer than", ensure you have a clear point of comparison. For example, "The revised budget allocated considerably fewer resources than the original proposal."

Common error

Avoid using "considerably fewer than" with non-countable nouns. Use "considerably less than" instead. For instance, say "There is considerably less water than we anticipated" rather than "considerably fewer water".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "considerably fewer than" functions as a comparative determiner phrase. According to Ludwig AI, it modifies a noun to indicate a significantly smaller quantity in comparison to another. It establishes a quantitative relationship.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

37%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "considerably fewer than" is a versatile phrase used to highlight a significant difference in countable quantities. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and widespread use across varied contexts, including News & Media and Science. Remember to use "considerably fewer than" with countable nouns and consider alternatives like "substantially less than" for non-countable nouns to avoid common errors. This phrase is a valuable tool for making precise comparisons in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

substantially less than

Replaces "considerably fewer" with "substantially less", changing the adjective but keeping the comparative structure and meaning.

significantly smaller than

Uses "significantly smaller" to convey a notably reduced quantity, altering both adjective and noun.

appreciably less than

Employs "appreciably less" to indicate a noticeably smaller amount, substituting the original adjective.

markedly lower than

Replaces the phrase with "markedly lower", emphasizing the reduced level or degree.

noticeably fewer than

Substitutes "considerably" with "noticeably", indicating that the smaller quantity is easily observed.

distinctly less than

Uses "distinctly less" to highlight the clear difference in quantity.

substantially reduced compared to

Changes the structure to use "substantially reduced compared to", focusing on the reduction in quantity.

remarkably less than

Replaces "considerably" with "remarkably", emphasizing the surprising nature of the smaller amount.

a good deal fewer than

Uses the idiom "a good deal fewer" for a more informal tone.

vastly fewer than

Employs "vastly fewer" to emphasize a large difference in quantity.

FAQs

How can I use "considerably fewer than" in a sentence?

Use "considerably fewer than" to indicate that one quantity is significantly smaller than another. For example: "There were "considerably fewer than" 50 attendees at the meeting."

What's a formal alternative to "considerably fewer than"?

In formal writing, you can use phrases like "substantially less than" or "significantly smaller than" as alternatives to "considerably fewer than".

Is it correct to say "considerably less than" instead of "considerably fewer than"?

"Considerably less than" is used for non-countable nouns, while "considerably fewer than" is for countable nouns. For example: "considerably less water" vs "considerably fewer cars".

What is the difference between "much fewer than" and "considerably fewer than"?

"Considerably fewer than" implies a more significant difference in quantity compared to "much fewer than". While both indicate a smaller amount, "considerably" suggests a greater disparity.