fewer as possible

USAGE SUMMARY

"fewer as possible" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to express a desire to keep something at the lowest possible number. For example, "We should try to keep our expenses to fewer as possible."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

According to F1 measure, the clustering algorithm should cover as many points as possible from the hidden clusters and as fewer as possible of those points which are not in the hidden clusters.

Journal of Big Data

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

"But we want to try to make it as few as possible.

The New York Times

The publishers' purpose is to sell as many books as possible and to offend as few as possible.

The New York Times

(Film the dancers head to toe, in takes as long and few as possible, without crosscutting or close-ups).

The New York Times - Arts

Ideally, use saucepans that can go in the dishwasher if you have one, and as few as possible.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

That means three things: extremely careful targeting, no civilian casualties or as few as possible, and no publicity.

The New York Times

But in the meantime, let's work to ensure that as few as possible face that life-altering experience.

The New York Times

Considering low cost in network, the amount of gateway node should be as few as possible.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Are there models that make no, or at least as few as possible, substantive assumptions?

SEP

They strove to find axioms sets satisfying a number of normative criteria: axioms should be as few as possible, as short as possible, independent, with as few primitives as possible.

SEP

The embodiment or form definition phase then attempts to solve each module with one part (or as few as possible).

Design Studies

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "fewer as possible", ensure it refers to countable items. For uncountable nouns, use "as little as possible" instead. For example, "Use fewer ingredients as possible" for countable items, and "Use as little water as possible" for uncountable items.

Common error

Avoid using "fewer as possible" with uncountable nouns. The correct form for uncountable nouns is "as little as possible". For example, it's incorrect to say "fewer water as possible"; instead, say "as little water as possible".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fewer as possible" functions as a quantifier, indicating a desire to minimize the number of countable items. As Ludwig AI shows, it's used to express a preference for reducing something to the lowest feasible quantity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "fewer as possible" is used to express a desire to minimize the quantity of countable items. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct. While it appears less frequently than alternatives like "as few as possible", it is used in both scientific and news contexts. When using the phrase, ensure it refers to countable items; for uncountable nouns, use "as little as possible". Common alternatives include "as minimal as possible" and "the fewest possible". Keep in mind the importance of using the correct quantifier based on whether the noun is countable or uncountable.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

as minimal as possible

Replaces "fewer" with "minimal", emphasizing the degree of reduction.

as little as possible

Uses "little" instead of "fewer", suitable for uncountable nouns.

the fewest possible

Uses a definite article, suggesting a specific, limited quantity.

as few as can be

Emphasizes the constraint or limitation on the quantity.

the minimum number of

More formal, using "minimum" to indicate the smallest acceptable amount.

keep to a minimum

Suggests an active effort to maintain something at its lowest level.

reduce to the smallest number

Focuses on the action of reducing to the lowest possible count.

minimize as much as you can

Highlights the active attempt to minimize a quantity.

the least amount possible

Uses "least amount" implying a focus on quantity and possibility.

cut down to the bare minimum

Emphasizes a drastic reduction to the absolute essential level.

FAQs

How to use "fewer as possible" in a sentence?

Use "fewer as possible" to indicate minimizing the number of countable items. For example, "Try to make "as few mistakes as possible"" or "Use "as little resources as possible" to reduce waste."

What is the difference between "fewer as possible" and "as few as possible"?

"Fewer as possible" and "as few as possible" are used to describe limiting countable items. The main difference lies in the phrasing, but the intended meaning remains the same: to minimize the quantity. For uncountable items you should use "as little as possible" instead.

When should I use "fewer as possible" versus "less as possible"?

Use "fewer as possible" when referring to countable nouns (e.g., "fewer errors"). Use "less as possible" for uncountable nouns (e.g., "less time"). Incorrect: "fewer time as possible". Correct: "as little time as possible".

What can I say instead of "fewer as possible"?

You can use alternatives like "as minimal as possible", "as little as possible" (for uncountable nouns), or "the fewest possible" depending on the context.