less affected by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'less affected by' is a correct phrase in written English.
You would typically use it to express the idea that something is influenced to a lesser extent by a particular factor when compared to something else. For example, "The elderly population is usually less affected by economic downturns than younger generations."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

BLBP expressing radial glia are distinguished by being less affected by MAM treatment and less affected by attempts at repair using radializing factors such as reelin or neuregulin.

Plosone

Recycled aluminum and glass are less affected by the ban.

Yale University

These farmers were significantly less affected by this latest crisis.

The New York Times

The test is less affected by indenter passivation.

Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering

Developmental processes were less affected by defoliation frequency.

European Journal of Agronomy

Palladio's villas were less affected by his visits to Rome.

Encyclopedia Britannica

However, tensile strength is less affected by multiple delamination.

Composites Part B: Engineering

The outsider incorporates more relevant data and is less affected by momentary bias than the insider.

Harvard University

"This means our earnings over a period of time are less affected by any single market.

The Guardian - Business

Second, humans are much less affected by aflatoxin than animals, especially some birds, Ms. Scott said.

The New York Times - Science

Pensioners are less affected by measures being introduced in this tax year.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing the effects of different factors, use "less affected by" to clearly indicate which factor has a smaller impact. For example, "In this study, Group A was less affected by the treatment than Group B."

Common error

Avoid using "less affected by" when you actually mean "unaffected by". "Less affected by" implies some impact still exists, just to a lesser degree. If there's truly no impact, use phrases like "unaffected by" or "immune to."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less affected by" functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun or pronoun, indicating a diminished impact or influence. Ludwig AI indicates that this is a standard and accepted usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

46%

News & Media

40%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "less affected by" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that something experiences a reduced impact from a particular factor. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, and analysis of numerous examples reveals its frequent use in scientific, news media, and academic contexts. When using this phrase, ensure it aligns with the intended meaning of reduced influence rather than complete immunity. Consider alternatives like "not as impacted by" or "experiences a reduced impact from" for stylistic variation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not as impacted by

Uses "impacted" instead of "affected", suggesting a slightly different nuance of influence.

not as influenced by

Replaces "affected" with "influenced", indicating a similar but potentially broader scope of impact.

relatively immune to

Employs "immune" to convey a stronger sense of resistance or lack of impact.

not significantly altered by

Substitutes "affected" with "altered", focusing on the change or modification resulting from the influence.

minimally impacted by

Adds "minimally" to emphasize the small degree of impact.

experiences a reduced impact from

Reformulates the phrase to emphasize the experience of reduced impact.

shows less susceptibility to

Focuses on the lack of susceptibility, implying a natural resistance.

not greatly disturbed by

Replaces "affected" with "disturbed", focusing on the disruption caused by the influence.

remains largely untouched by

Implies something remains in its original state, with minimal alteration.

displays greater resilience to

Highlights the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.

FAQs

How can I use "less affected by" in a sentence?

Use "less affected by" to indicate that something experiences a reduced impact from a particular factor compared to something else. For example, "Small businesses are often "more vulnerable to" economic downturns, while large corporations may be less affected by them."

What's a more formal alternative to "less affected by"?

In formal writing, you could use phrases like "experiences a reduced impact from" or "exhibits a diminished response to" as alternatives to "less affected by". These alternatives maintain a professional tone while conveying a similar meaning.

Is it correct to say "less affected from" instead of "less affected by"?

No, the correct preposition to use with "affected" in this context is "by". Saying "less affected from" is grammatically incorrect. You should always use "less affected by".

What's the difference between "less affected by" and "unaffected by"?

"Less affected by" indicates a reduced impact, while "unaffected by" implies no impact at all. For instance, if a plant is less affected by a disease, it still shows some symptoms, whereas if it's "immune to" the disease, it shows no symptoms.