fewer times

USAGE SUMMARY

'fewer times' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when comparing two amounts of a specific item or activity. For example, "I played soccer fewer times this season than last season."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Only the Phillies struck out fewer times.

The New York Times - Sports

But now they're gone, and he gets passed fewer times than he passes.

The New Yorker

The typical college team shot 55.3 times per game, 5.3 fewer times than in 1991.

The New York Times

This means ads are displayed fewer times, so advertisers lose out in the short-term.

The Economist

The Giants have turned the ball over fewer times than any team in the N.F.C.

The New York Times

There are even fewer times that you start a new newspaper that endures.

The New York Times

The fewer times you watch a cut, the clearer your view of it will be.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

They are 2-4 in games in which he touched the ball 20 or fewer times.

The New York Times - Sports

But then he plunged to.263 last season, stroking 39 fewer hits in two fewer times at bat.

The New York Times - Sports

With DVD wholesale prices lower, dealers need to rent a disc fewer times to turn a profit.

The New York Times

Subjects lifting more weight fewer times burned more energy and had a greater metabolic boost after exercise.

The New York Times - Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing the frequency of events, use "fewer times" with countable nouns. For uncountable nouns, use "less".

Common error

Avoid using "less times" when referring to countable instances. "Fewer times" is correct for countable instances, while "less" is for uncountable quantities or abstract concepts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "fewer times" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb or clause to indicate a lower frequency of an action or event. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

34%

News & Media

58%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "fewer times" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed adverbial phrase that functions to compare the frequency of events, indicating a reduced number of occurrences. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's suitable across neutral registers and is most commonly found in news and media and scientific contexts. When using this phrase, ensure it modifies a countable noun and avoid confusing it with "less times", which is generally incorrect. Alternatives such as "less frequently" or "not as often" can be used for variety.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not as often

A simpler and more direct way of expressing reduced frequency.

less frequently

Changes the structure to an adverbial phrase emphasizing reduced frequency.

more rarely

Uses a single adverb to convey the idea of infrequent occurrence.

on fewer occasions

Replaces "times" with "occasions", adding a slightly more formal tone.

a lower frequency

Uses a noun phrase to describe the reduced occurrence.

a reduced number of times

Emphasizes the reduction in the number of occurrences.

a smaller number of instances

Replaces "times" with "instances", which can be more appropriate in certain contexts.

less repeatedly

Focuses on the lack of repetition.

on rare occasions

Highlights the infrequency of the events.

a decreased amount of times

Substitutes "fewer" with "a decreased amount", slightly altering the emphasis.

FAQs

How do I use "fewer times" in a sentence?

Use "fewer times" to indicate a reduced number of occurrences or instances of something. For example, "I visited the museum "fewer times" this year than last year".

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

"Fewer times" is used for countable instances, while "less times" is generally incorrect. You should use "fewer" for things you can count. For example, use "fewer opportunities" instead of "less opportunities".

What can I say instead of "fewer times"?

You can use alternatives like "less frequently", "not as often", or "on fewer occasions" depending on the context.

Is "fewer times" formal or informal?

"Fewer times" is appropriate for both formal and informal contexts. It is a grammatically correct and widely understood phrase.