is lesser than

USAGE SUMMARY

"is lesser than" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used in comparison to describe a situation in which one thing is smaller or less than another. For example, "The amount of money in my bank account is lesser than what I owe in rent."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Items answered by guessing, indicate that the respondent's ability is lesser than its difficulty.

Columbia University

Visually, do you think "Family Guy" is lesser than Matt Groening's "Simpsons"?

The New York Times - Magazine

"And if you think my love is lesser than yours, who have you asked and how do you know?

The Guardian - Books

Although the samples showed less discharge capacity at 4 C rate the fade in capacity per cycle is lesser than that of capacity fade at 0.2 C rate.

Electrochimica Acta

The percolation threshold in the conductivity of the composites is lesser than 8.2 wt% and the dielectric constant can reach as high as 136.

Polymer

But to gay people and their allies, supporting an outright ban on equal marriage is concerning: to many, it appears to say same-sex love is lesser than heterosexual love.

The Guardian - Opinion

Albeit the influence of 149Sm is lesser than that of main neutron absorber 135Xe (mainly because of absorption cross section values) it is important to determine the 149Sm perturbation in neutron balance equations and reactivity calculations in nuclear reactors design.

Annals of Nuclear Energy

As expected, SBS has a harmful effect on the two responses but the magnitude of this effect is lesser than that predicted by the preliminary experiments carried out with SBS alone.

Chemometrics and Intelligent Laboratory Systems

The energy consumption of XL-WMSN is lesser than all protocols.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

The magnitude of pressure coefficient is lesser than that in the previous case.

International Journal of Advanced Structural Engineering

The energy hyperconjugation of complex 2 (21.25) is lesser than that of complex3.

Journal of Nanostructure in Chemistry

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "is lesser than" when you want to emphasize a noticeable difference in quantity, quality, or importance between two things. It adds a slightly more formal tone compared to "is less than".

Common error

Avoid using "lesser" when you should be using "fewer". "Lesser" refers to quantity or degree of something that cannot be counted, while "fewer" refers to countable items. For example, "There is lesser interest in the topic" (correct) vs. "There are fewer people interested in the topic" (correct).

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is lesser than" functions as a comparative, used to indicate that one thing has a smaller quantity, lower quality, or reduced degree compared to another. Ludwig indicates that the phrase is grammatically correct and usable in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

15%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "is lesser than" is a grammatically sound comparative phrase used to express that something is of a lower degree, quantity, or quality compared to something else. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is widely used across various contexts, especially in scientific and news-related content. While often interchangeable with the more common "is less than", "is lesser than" carries a slightly more formal tone. When writing, consider the context and audience to decide whether the formality of "is lesser than" is appropriate or if a simpler alternative like "is less than" would be more suitable. Be sure to avoid confusing "lesser" with "fewer", using "fewer" when referring to countable items. By understanding these nuances, you can effectively use "is lesser than" to convey precise comparisons in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is less than

A more common and general alternative, applicable in many contexts.

is smaller than

Emphasizes a difference in physical or quantitative size.

is not as great as

Uses a more descriptive structure to express the comparison.

is second to

Indicates lower rank or priority.

is inferior to

Highlights a difference in quality or importance.

is below

Indicates a lower position or value on a scale.

is slighter than

Suggests a small or insignificant difference.

is outweighed by

Suggests that something is less significant due to a greater counterforce.

is dwarfed by

Implies a significant difference in size or importance, where one item is much smaller.

is undercut by

Describes a situation where something is weakened or undermined by something else.

FAQs

How can I use "is lesser than" in a sentence?

You can use "is lesser than" to compare the relative size, amount, or quality of two things. For example, "The impact of the new policy is lesser than initially predicted."

What phrases are similar in meaning to "is lesser than"?

Alternatives to "is lesser than" include "is smaller than", "is less than", or "is inferior to", depending on the context.

Is it always appropriate to use "is lesser than"?

While grammatically correct, "is lesser than" can sound slightly formal. In casual conversation, "is less than" is often preferred. Consider your audience and the context when choosing between the two.

What is the difference between "is lesser than" and "is less than"?

Both phrases express a comparison, but "is lesser than" often implies a more significant or qualitative difference, whereas "is less than" is more commonly used for quantitative comparisons.