fewer

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "fewer" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used when comparing plural nouns, usually in the context of a decrease in quantity. For example, "Fewer people attended the meeting this month than last month."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The review of Prevent in 2011 led to funding for fewer areas and removing the community-based element.

The Guardian

Statistics for the number of people with disabilities entering industries such as the media are even worse – the charity Leonard Cheshire Disability says that fewer than 1% of those working in the media have a disability; the national average for the UK population is 13%.

The Guardian

Figures from the government and the biogas industry show that generating gas from waste can produce cheaper energy in the short term with fewer carbon emissions than current controversial hydraulic fracturing projects.

The Guardian

Network Rail has warned that meaningful cuts in its budget can only come at the expense of a smaller railway that will have to carry fewer passengers than the 1.3bn journeys it managed in 2009.

The Guardian

If fewer homes were built by the private sector, housing associations and local authorities combined, the government would step in.

The Guardian

Industry sources suggest about a dozen could be closed to increase line speeds: fewer than campaigners fear, although more than Smith is willing to admit to.

The Guardian

Related: Would Labour government be legitimate if it had fewer MPs than the Tories?

The Guardian

"As well as having fewer resources at its disposal than its predecessor, the legacy investigations branch cannot itself satisfy [human rights] requirements … because of its lack of independence from the police service.

The Guardian

It was not clear how much money could be saved by this measure given that the social fund is not well-advertised by the DWP, and fewer loans are being given out as a result.

The Guardian

This skill restricted Andy Roddick to just four aces in the semi-final and Philippoussis to only 14, seven fewer than his own efforts.

The Guardian - Sport

Walter pulled the strings to formidable effect; no fewer than four of the Germans' half dozen goals came from set pieces, and he coolly scored twice from the penalty spot.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "fewer" with countable nouns (e.g., "fewer cars", "fewer people") and "less" with uncountable nouns (e.g., "less water", "less time").

Common error

Avoid using "less" when "fewer" is grammatically correct. For instance, say "fewer errors" instead of "less errors".

Linguistic Context

"Fewer" functions as a determiner, specifically a comparative adjective, indicating a smaller quantity of something that can be counted. Ludwig examples show its use in various contexts to compare numbers or amounts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "fewer" functions as a determiner, indicating a smaller number of countable items. As Ludwig AI states, it's grammatically correct and is very commonly used across a variety of contexts, especially in news and media. Remember to use "fewer" with countable nouns and avoid confusing it with "less", which is for uncountable nouns. Common alternatives include "smaller number of" and "less numerous".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a lower number of

Directly states that the number is lower.

a smaller number of

Replaces "fewer" with a descriptive phrase indicating a reduced quantity.

not as many

Uses a more informal expression for comparison.

less numerous

Uses a different adjective to convey the idea of a smaller quantity.

a reduced quantity of

Focuses on the reduction in quantity rather than the count.

a diminished amount of

Emphasizes the decreasing amount.

a decline in

Indicates a downward trend in quantity.

a scarcity of

Implies a shortage or lack of something.

a deficit of

Highlights a deficiency or shortfall.

a curtailment of

Suggests a reduction or restriction.

FAQs

How do you use "fewer" in a sentence?

"Fewer" is used to indicate a smaller number of countable items. For example, "There are "fewer apples" in the basket this year."

What's the difference between "fewer" and "less"?

"Fewer" is for countable nouns (e.g., people, cars), while "less" is for uncountable nouns (e.g., water, time). You should say "fewer people" but "less water".

What can I say instead of "fewer"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "smaller number of", "less numerous", or "reduced quantity of".

Which is correct, "fewer problems" or "less problems"?

"Fewer problems" is correct because "problems" is a countable noun. "Less problems" is grammatically incorrect.