half as much as

USAGE SUMMARY

"half as much as" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to compare amounts of something or when you want to say that something is only half of a certain amount. For example, "She only has half as much money as her brother."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

I hope you appreciate the results of Clinton's relentlessness half as much as I do.

The New York Times

The second cost about half as much as the first.

The Economist

Taiwan's food also costs only half as much as Japan's.

The Economist

That was half as much as some investors had hoped.

The New York Times

"Knotty pine costs half as much as clear," she noted.

The New York Times

A leopard seal can weigh half as much as a small car.

Harvard University

As a result, he pays women lawyers half as much as their male counterparts.

Harvard University

Intel has gained 35percentt, about half as much as the tech-heavy Nasdaq.

Columbia University

Rubber tracks weigh less than half as much as their steel counterparts.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

The fly-half, as much as anyone.

The Guardian - Sport

Not when high school dropouts earn about half as much as college graduates.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "half as much as" to make direct comparisons between quantities, costs, or efforts to clearly communicate a proportional difference. For example, "This car costs half as much as that one."

Common error

Avoid using "half as much as" when you need to describe a decrease that is not exactly 50%. Use phrases like "significantly less than" or "considerably smaller than" to describe imprecise reductions.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "half as much as" functions as a comparative quantifier, expressing a direct proportional relationship where one quantity is exactly 50% of another. Ludwig's examples illustrate its use in comparing costs, weights, and other measurable aspects.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Academia

17%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Science

4%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "half as much as" is a versatile comparative tool used to precisely indicate that one quantity is 50% of another. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread use across various sources. It is suitable for neutral contexts, enabling clear and concise comparisons. While frequently found in news, academic, and general content, it's important to maintain precision and employ alternative expressions such as "considerably less than" or "significantly lower than" when describing approximate or non-exact reductions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not quite as much as

This phrase uses "not quite" to soften the comparison, suggesting a slightly smaller amount.

considerably less than

This indicates a significant reduction in quantity or degree compared to the original amount.

substantially lower than

Emphasizes the reduced amount as being significantly less, often in a quantifiable sense.

a fraction of

Indicates that the quantity is a small part of the original amount.

markedly fewer than

Highlights a noticeable reduction in number compared to the reference.

significantly reduced compared to

Focuses on the action of reduction and implies a notable difference in quantity.

a smaller proportion than

Expresses the amount as a reduced share or percentage of the whole.

appreciably diminished from

Emphasizes a tangible and noticeable decrease from a previous level.

a reduced level compared to

Highlights the amount as being at a lower state or grade in contrast to another.

only a portion of

Indicates a part or segment of the full quantity, implying it is less than the total.

FAQs

How can I use "half as much as" in a sentence?

Use "half as much as" to compare two things where one is exactly 50% of the other. For instance, "This apartment is half as much as the one we saw yesterday."

What's a more formal way to say "half as much as"?

In formal contexts, you might use "fifty percent less than" or "one half the amount of" instead of "half as much as". For example, "The budget allocated this year is fifty percent less than last year's budget." Alternatively use "considerably less than".

Is it correct to say "half as much that" instead of "half as much as"?

No, the correct phrase is "half as much as". Using "that" instead of "as" changes the meaning and is grammatically incorrect. Stick to using "half as much as" for accurate comparisons.

What alternatives can I use to "half as much as" to show a similar comparison?

You can use alternatives such as "not quite as much as", ""considerably less than"", or "a fraction of" depending on the exact meaning you want to convey.