considerably less than half

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "considerably less than half" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing quantities or proportions that are significantly below the midpoint of a whole. Example: "In the survey, considerably less than half of the participants expressed satisfaction with the service."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

With many women travelling to private clinics, the abortion rate in Northern Ireland will be considerably less than half that for the rest of the UK.

The Guardian

But by the time the sheriff takes his cut, which includes board, travel expenses and clothes, they wind up with considerably less than half of that, inmates say.

The New York Times

Women represent considerably less than half of the faculty in all but one of Harvard's schools, and while the number of women in tenure-track positions grew slightly from the last academic year to the current one, women still make up a small fraction of the university's tenured professors.

The New York Times

But it would be wrong to believe foreigners are taking all our jobs: over the past year, the growth in overall employment was 611,000, of which 39% - or considerably less than half - were jobs taken by non-Brits.

BBC

But with considerably less than half of the "B" red, that explanation has somewhat less weight.

Los Angeles Times

The semitones are considerably less than half the whole tones in size, but this is not particularly objectionable in a melody.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

Contrary to prior reports, including ours, the $800 million valuation is considerably less than $1 billion and considerably more than the half that originally demarcated.

TechCrunch

So it was between 400,000 and half a million people – considerably less than the number of applications made.

The Guardian

But that 8.5percentt decline is considerably less than the 12.7percentt average 12-month decline suffered in the first half of the 1970's.

The New York Times

One of the world's largest makers of semiconductor equipment, ASML Holding, reported a second-half loss of 110 million euros, considerably less than the 383 million euros the company lost a year earlier.

The New York Times

"Hotel Honolulu," in other words, is extravagantly entertaining when it works, which is at least half the time, but it is also a novel whose whole is considerably less than the sum of its parts.

The New York Times - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "considerably less than half", ensure the context clearly establishes what the 'whole' or 'total' is to which you are comparing the smaller quantity. This provides clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid assuming "considerably less than half" automatically implies insignificance. While it denotes a minority, the specific context might reveal even a small fraction has important consequences. For instance, "considerably less than half" of a company's customer base could still represent a substantial revenue stream.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "considerably less than half" functions as a degree modifier, specifically quantifying and emphasizing that a certain amount or proportion is significantly smaller than 50%. This aligns with Ludwig's analysis confirming its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Encyclopedias

20%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "considerably less than half" is a grammatically sound and versatile expression used to denote a quantity significantly below 50%. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correctly used and conveys a clear meaning. While it is most frequently found in news and media contexts, it is also present in scientific and encyclopedic sources. When using the phrase, it's important to provide context to avoid ambiguity. For more formal communication, alternatives like "significantly under fifty percent" can be used. Common mistakes involve misinterpreting the relative magnitude, assuming such fractions are insignificant without considering the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

substantially under half

Replaces "considerably" with "substantially", indicating a significant difference below half.

significantly less than fifty percent

Replaces the fraction with a percentage, providing a more numerical expression.

markedly below fifty percent

Substitutes "considerably less" with "markedly below", emphasizing a notable difference.

well under half

Uses "well under" instead of "considerably less", conveying a similar sense of magnitude.

far less than half

Emphasizes the degree of difference by using "far less".

appreciably less than half

Replaces "considerably" with "appreciably", indicating a noticeable difference.

noticeably smaller than half

Shifts the focus to size and uses "noticeably smaller" to express the disparity.

a minority portion

This alternative uses "minority portion" instead of a direct comparison to "half", indicating that the quantity is a smaller part of the whole.

a fraction much smaller than fifty percent

Expands on the idea of a small portion using more descriptive language.

a small minority

This emphasizes that only a small part of a group is being referenced.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "considerably less than half" to sound more formal?

For a more formal tone, consider using alternatives such as "significantly under fifty percent", "substantially less than half", or "markedly below fifty percent". These options replace colloquial terms with more academic vocabulary.

What does "considerably less than half" imply about the quantity or proportion?

It implies that the quantity is not only below 50% but also noticeably or significantly smaller than half. The term "considerably" emphasizes a substantial difference, not just a marginal one.

In what situations is it appropriate to use "considerably less than half"?

It is appropriate when you want to emphasize that a quantity is significantly smaller than half of a total amount or group. For example, "considerably less than half of the students passed the test", indicates a notably low pass rate.

What is the difference between "less than half" and "considerably less than half"?

"Less than half" simply indicates a quantity below 50%, while "considerably less than half" suggests the quantity is significantly smaller than 50%. The addition of "considerably" emphasizes a substantial difference.