far less common than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "far less common than" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to compare the frequency of two items, indicating that one is significantly less frequent than the other. Example: "While smartphones are ubiquitous, flip phones are far less common than they used to be."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

M.S.B.P. is far less common than child abuse.

The New Yorker

War is far less common than it used to be.

The Economist

KIT positivity in tumor samples appeared to be far less common than anticipated (21 vs. 70%).

Lung Cancer

Today expropriating leaders are far less common than they used to be.

Harvard Business Review

Riley's data show that "inter political party marriages are far less common than interfaith marriages".

The New York Times

Handbag snatchers are now far less common than opportunities for delectable pizza.

The Economist

"But it is far less common than it ever was in the past.

Independent

Franklin's device, far less common than Palm's, reads electronic books in Microsoft's or Adobe's formats and costs about $130.

The New York Times

These numbers suggest that M.S.B.P., though horrifying, is far less common than other forms of child abuse.

The New Yorker

Back then, outdoor fireplaces were far less common than they are today, but they have been around for centuries.

The New York Times - Travel

The culture history movement so influenced anthropology that grand theories of "Man" became far less common than in the past.

Britannica

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing the prevalence of two phenomena, ensure that the categories being compared are clearly defined to avoid ambiguity. For example, specify "far less common than in urban areas" to provide context.

Common error

Avoid using "far less common than" without providing specific context or comparison points. Overgeneralizing can lead to misunderstandings or misinterpretations of the data or situation being described.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "far less common than" functions as a comparative, used to express that something occurs or exists with significantly lower frequency compared to something else. As Ludwig AI shows, this phrase is used to draw contrasts in prevalence across various domains.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Science

28%

Academia

6%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "far less common than" is a versatile comparative expression used to indicate a significant difference in the frequency or prevalence of two items. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically sound and widely used across various contexts, particularly in News & Media and Science. When using "far less common than", it's crucial to provide specific context for a clear understanding. Alternatives like "much rarer than" or "significantly less frequent than" can be used for semantic variety, though "far less common than" provides a strong and clear comparative statement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

much rarer than

Emphasizes rarity instead of commonness, implying a significant difference in frequency.

significantly less frequent than

Highlights the statistical difference in frequency, suitable for more formal contexts.

not as prevalent as

Indicates a lower degree of widespread existence or acceptance.

occurs less often than

Focuses on the occurrence rate, useful for describing events or phenomena.

not nearly as common as

Adds emphasis to the disparity in frequency, implying a noticeable difference.

a smaller percentage than

Quantifies the difference in terms of proportions, suitable for data-driven comparisons.

less widespread than

Highlights the limited distribution or reach of something compared to something else.

infrequent compared to

Stresses the lack of regularity or frequency in comparison.

scarcer than

Implies a limited availability or reduced presence.

relatively uncommon compared to

Introduces a degree of relativity in assessing the level of commonness.

FAQs

How can I use "far less common than" in a sentence?

Use "far less common than" to compare the frequency of two things, indicating that one occurs much less often than the other. For example: "Fake police brutality is, depressingly, "far less common than" the real thing."

What are some alternatives to the phrase "far less common than"?

You can use alternatives like "much rarer than", "significantly less frequent than", or "not as prevalent as" depending on the context.

Which is correct: "less common than" or "far less common than"?

Both are grammatically correct, but "far less common than" emphasizes a greater difference in frequency compared to the simple "less common than".

What's the difference between "rare" and "far less common than"?

"Rare" describes something that doesn't occur very often, while "far less common than" /s/far+less+common+than is a comparative phrase used to explicitly compare the frequency of two different things.