differing from a few

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "differing from a few" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing or contrasting a larger group with a smaller subset or specific examples. Example: "The results of the study were differing from a few previous findings, indicating a new trend in the data."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The height of an undisturbed sea's surface can differ from a few inches to several feet from place to place depending upon what lies far beneath the water.

The New York Times - Science

TFs bind the DNA in a sequence-specific fashion, that is, they recognize sequences that are similar but not identical, differing in a few nucleotides from one another.

Briefings in Bioinformatics

The results differed in a few areas from those of the study PricewaterhouseCoopers conducted in foreign countries.

The New York Times

The rates listed here are for 2004, per person, based on double occupancy, and may differ by a few dollars from one company to another.

The New York Times - Travel

Nevertheless, the final k values can differ by a few percent from the designed values.

Journal of the European Optical Society-Rapid Publications

Our initial isolate of T7αβ, a clonal population, differed at a few sites from the sequences reported in GenBank (Supplementary Table S5; the sequence of our initial isolate is provided in Supplementary Table S6).

ACS Synthetic Biology

The topology and divergence age estimates of this tree differ in a few respects from those of the recent analyses of Artiodactyla (= Cetartiodactyla) by Hassanin et al. [ 8], the source of the data matrix used in this study.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

The introduction of a new knee arthroplasty model, even if it differs from a validated implant by only a few details, should be followed by rigorous assessment.

Orthopaedics & Traumatology: Surgery & Research

Western blots of native HCT116 and HEK cells, together with cells lacking the respective LRRC8 isoforms, confirmed the specificity of the antisera, even though some sera (α-LRRC8C, α-LRRC8D) were made against mouse peptide sequences that differed by a few amino acids from the human counterparts.

EMBO Journal

Doctoral students using empirical qualitative approaches differ in a few but important aspects from the rest of the sample.

Business Research

Thus, despite the low sequence similarity between Blm10/PA200 sequences, one may conclude that these proteins display similar overall 3D structures, only differing from each other by a few insertions of different sizes and locations.

Genome Biology and Evolution

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "differing from a few" to precisely indicate that only a small subset exhibits differences, enhancing clarity in comparative contexts.

Common error

Avoid using "differing from a few" when the differences apply to a larger group; instead, opt for phrases like "differing from many" or "differing from most" to accurately reflect the extent of the divergence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "differing from a few" functions as a descriptive modifier, specifying the extent to which something varies. It highlights that the divergence is limited to a small subset.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

25%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

10%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "differing from a few" serves as a descriptive modifier indicating that only a small subset exhibits variations. While Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness, its usage is most common in scientific and news-related contexts. When using the phrase, ensure it accurately reflects the limited scope of the difference and consider alternatives like "varying from some" or "diverging from a handful" to add nuance. Avoid overgeneralizing the scope of the divergence and use the phrase precisely to enhance clarity in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Differing slightly from some

Expresses a minimal deviation or variation.

Contrasting subtly with a few

Expresses the opposition with delicacy.

Varying from some

Emphasizes variation rather than a distinct difference.

Diverging marginally from several

Indicates a slight movement away from a set of items.

Diverging from a handful

Highlights the act of moving in a different direction from a small quantity.

Deviating narrowly from a select group

Describes a minor departure from an established norm.

Contrasting with a select few

Focuses on the opposition in characteristics compared to a small, specific group.

Deviating from a small number

Indicates a departure from an established norm or standard by a limited quantity.

Showing differences with a limited number

Emphasizes the exhibition of differences.

Distinct from a minority

Highlights the characteristic of being easily distinguishable from a smaller group.

FAQs

How can I use "differing from a few" in a sentence?

Use "differing from a few" to indicate variations or distinctions present in a small subset when comparing it to a larger group. For example, "While most participants agreed, the responses were "differing from a few", suggesting diverse perspectives."

What can I say instead of "differing from a few"?

You can use alternatives like "varying from some", "diverging from a handful", or "contrasting with a select few" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "differing from a few" or "different from a few"?

"Differing from a few" implies an ongoing divergence, while "different from a few" states a static distinction. Choose the phrase that accurately reflects the nature of the difference being described.

What's the difference between "differing from a few" and "differing from many"?

"Differing from a few" indicates that only a small number of items or cases exhibit variations, whereas "differing from many" suggests that a significant portion displays differences. The choice depends on the extent of the divergence you wish to convey.