least crowd

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "least crowd" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to express a situation with minimal crowding, but it lacks clarity and proper usage. Example: "During the off-peak hours, the park had the least crowd, making it a perfect time for a peaceful walk."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

If we do that everything else will follow, not least crowd numbers.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

As their final paradox, the least crowd-pleasing band imaginable leave a reverential audience thoroughly sated.

The Guardian - Music

The forty-three-year-old playwright is one of downtown\u2019s most trenchant, least crowd-pleasing talents, whose stubbornly genre-resistant work melds identity politics, Dadaist humor, and metatheatrical mind games.

The New Yorker

It was, to say the least, crowded.

The New York Times - Magazine

We swap tips – where to go, least crowded, staff not bothered, that sort of thing.

The Guardian

It scares off, or at least crowds out, competitors, particularly when it comes to drawing media attention.

The New York Times

-The least crowded of the 50 corridors in all five boroughs was Victory Boulevard between Bay Street and Van Duzer Street on Staten Island, which was traversed by 1,215 pedestrians between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. on May 19.

The New York Times

A few blocks from the northern lagoon and a short stroll down a sunny canal from the lovely church of Madonna dell'Orto, where Tintoretto is buried, it's on the outside edge of Cannaregio, my favorite -- still the quietest, least crowded and most unspoiled -- neighborhood in the city.

The New York Times - Travel

Sunday is a workday in Israel, so that is often when the market is least crowded.

BBC

The time to get on the bus is when it is least crowded.

Forbes

As a result, Soit Le Motonyi is now one of the best – and least crowded – places to see cheetah in the Serengeti and perhaps the world.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "least crowd" in formal writing. Instead, opt for clearer and grammatically correct alternatives such as "smallest crowd" or "fewest people."

Common error

A common mistake is to use "least" when referring to a count of people. "Least" is typically used with uncountable nouns. Use "fewest" when referring to a count of people to avoid grammatical errors.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "least crowd" functions as a noun phrase intended to describe a situation with a minimal number of people. However, it's grammatically awkward and not standard English usage. Ludwig AI suggests that it's not correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

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 "least crowd" is grammatically questionable and not recommended for use in formal writing. As Ludwig AI points out, it's better to opt for alternatives such as "smallest crowd" or "fewest people". The usage contexts, while present in news and scientific sources, don't justify the non-standard grammar. Using "fewest" with countable nouns like people is more grammatically correct. Therefore, stick to clearer and more conventional alternatives to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

smallest crowd

Replaces "least" with "smallest" to indicate a minimal number of people.

fewest people

Uses "fewest" and "people" for a more grammatically standard way to express minimal crowding.

sparsely populated

Describes a place with very few people present.

unpopulated

Emphasizes the absence of people in a place.

hardly any people

Indicates a very small number of people present.

virtually empty

Suggests the place is almost without any people.

not crowded at all

Directly negates the state of being crowded.

with minimal crowding

Specifies a state where the crowding is kept to a minimum.

scarcely crowded

Indicates that the place is only slightly crowded.

lacking crowds

Highlights the absence of crowds.

FAQs

What's a better way to say "least crowd"?

Instead of "least crowd", use alternatives like "smallest crowd" or "fewest people" for clearer and more grammatically correct expression.

When should I use "fewest" instead of "least"?

"Fewest" should be used when referring to countable items, like people, while "least" is used with uncountable nouns, like water or effort. Therefore, to refer to a small number of people, use "fewest people".

Is "least crowded" grammatically correct?

Yes, "least crowded" is grammatically correct. It describes a location with the lowest level of crowding, where "crowded" functions as an adjective.

How can I use "fewest people" in a sentence?

You can use "fewest people" in a sentence like: "The park has the fewest people on weekday mornings."