incidentally less than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "incidentally less than" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to introduce a point that is somewhat related but not the main focus, often to provide additional information or context about a quantity or comparison. Example: "The project was completed on time, and incidentally less than the budget we had allocated."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

But from the perspective of a country like France, where semi-automatic weapons and handguns are strictly prohibited except for a few narrow exceptions, and where, incidentally, less than ten per cent of all homicides are by firearm (compared to sixty per cent in the United States), this measure looks like a drop in the ocean.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

It's very popular in tropical parts of the world, like the Philippines, where there is incidentally less cases of heart disease and cancers than compared to the western world.

Huffington Post

Less Than Jake.

WikiHow

There are electric door switches (you push a button and the door pops open; you pull a rubber grabber on the outside of the car to get the same thing to happen), but these are lifted straight from the Corvette, which incidentally sells for $25,000 less than this car.

Forbes

Islamic State has put in place what appear to be the beginnings of quasi-state structures - ministries, law courts and even a rudimentary taxation system, which incidentally asks for far less than what was paid by citizens of Mr Assad's Syria.

BBC

Incidentally a duration of less than 2 years of having diabetes was a predictor of depressive symptoms in this study.

BMC Family Practice

We excluded diagnoses that were detected incidentally at autopsy, individuals aged less than 20 at diagnosis or if the date of diagnosis was recorded to be after the date of death.

BMC Cancer

When she confronted her boss she was told the man (who incidentally was less qualified than her) was paid more because he had to support his family.

The Guardian

A shareholder vote might help avert them by, for instance, curbing the excessive award of stock options in the bull market (less than 10% of which, incidentally, went to the top executives).

The Economist

With the small orange-pink tablets came a leaflet headed "Elleste Solo™ 1mg and 2mg (estradiol hemihydrate)" (Incidentally, this drug costs the NHS nearly two pounds less than the £7.20 prescription charge).

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Incidentally, more than half of all American households make less than $50,000 per year, according to the Census.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "incidentally less than" to introduce a quantitative comparison as a secondary point. This works well when the primary focus is something else, and the quantity is just additional supporting information.

Common error

Avoid using "incidentally less than" when the quantitative comparison is the main point. If the primary purpose is to highlight the difference in quantity, use a more direct comparison instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "incidentally less than" functions as an adverbial modifier introducing a comparative adjective phrase. It indicates that the comparison is a secondary or additional detail, rather than the primary focus of the sentence. Ludwig provides examples where this phrase is used to add quantitative information as an aside.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "incidentally less than" is used to introduce comparative information in a secondary or supplementary manner. As noted by Ludwig AI, this phrase functions as an adverbial modifier, signaling that the comparison is not the primary focus. Its usage is considered grammatically correct and appears in both news/media and scientific contexts, maintaining a neutral register. Although not exceedingly common, understanding its proper application can add nuance to your writing by providing additional details without overshadowing the main point. When using "incidentally less than", ensure that the comparison is relevant but not critical to the core message. Alternatives like "surprisingly smaller than" or "unexpectedly lower than" can be considered for variation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

incidentally smaller amount than

More explicit phrasing of what is incidentally smaller.

surprisingly smaller than

Emphasizes the unexpected nature of the smaller quantity.

unexpectedly lower than

Highlights the surprise element associated with the reduced amount.

by the way, less than

Introduces the 'less than' statement as an aside.

as a side note, less than

Similar to 'by the way', but slightly more formal.

notably less than

Emphasizes that the difference is significant and worth noting.

remarkably smaller than

Highlights the noteworthy nature of the reduced size.

in passing, less than

Suggests the information is mentioned briefly and not a primary focus.

in addition, less than

The reduction is mentioned alongside other information.

furthermore, less than

Similar to 'in addition', implying an extra piece of information.

FAQs

How can I use "incidentally less than" in a sentence?

Use "incidentally less than" to introduce a fact that is somewhat related but not the central point. For example, "The project was completed on time, and, incidentally less than the initial budget."

What does "incidentally less than" mean?

It means that something is smaller or lower than another thing, and this fact is mentioned as a secondary or additional piece of information, rather than the main focus.

What are some alternatives to "incidentally less than"?

Alternatives include phrases like "surprisingly smaller than", "unexpectedly lower than", or "by the way less than" depending on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "incidentally less than" in formal writing?

Yes, it can be used in formal writing, especially when you want to provide extra information that is not the main focus of your discussion. However, ensure that the incidental information is still relevant to the context.