less anticipated

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less anticipated" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is not expected or predicted to the same degree as something else. Example: "The outcome of the experiment was less anticipated than the results of previous studies."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

Some of these disasters were more or less anticipated.

The New York Times

DISASTER could hardly have struck at a worse time or taken a less anticipated form.

The Economist

But less anticipated was the vehement opposition she expressed against the party organization, specifically its chairman, Roberto Ramirez.

The New York Times

What was perhaps less anticipated was just how big Amazon would become: it now controls more than a quarter of all e-commerce sales and four per cent of all U.S. retail sales, in addition to being the world's biggest provider of cloud services.

The New Yorker

Less anticipated were the smaller humiliations and inconveniences, like bowel movements in bed or on the way to a party, sores that came out of nowhere and took months or years to heal, and inaccessible restroom stalls that caused Linda to have to catheterize herself in the public area where people were washing their hands and talking.

The New York Times

But it has been no less anticipated.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

44 human-written examples

Ken Rogoff, professor at Harvard and former chief economist at the International Monetary Fund, has written that, "The accelerating speed of innovation seems to be outstripping government regulators' capacity to deal with risks, much less anticipate them".

Forbes

The combined value of the objects would barely approach $5 and the novelty factor became less anticipating than a gumball machine.

Vice

New York City, for example, now expects to get about $100 million less than anticipated, and Rochester, $21 million less.

The New York Times

Austria and the Netherlands also earned far less than anticipated in auctions this year.

The New York Times

The number of potential jurors seeking hardship exemptions was "somewhat less" than anticipated, Judge Sand wrote.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "less anticipated" to introduce a contrast or unexpected element in your writing, creating emphasis on the divergence from the expected outcome.

Common error

Avoid using "less anticipated" when "unanticipated" or "unexpected" is more appropriate. "Less anticipated" implies a degree of prior expectation, whereas the other terms suggest complete surprise.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less anticipated" functions as a descriptive adjective phrase. It modifies a noun, indicating a lower degree of expectation than initially presumed. As supported by Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and highlights a deviation from what was predicted.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

42%

Wiki

16%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "less anticipated" is a grammatically sound adjective phrase that describes something not as expected. Ludwig's AI confirms its correctness and usability. With a neutral register, it fits various contexts, including News & Media and Science. While not extremely common, it effectively conveys a deviation from prior expectations. Remember to distinguish it from "unexpected", which implies a complete lack of anticipation. Consider alternatives such as "less expected" or "not as anticipated" for subtle variations in meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

less expected

Emphasizes a reduced level of expectation, focusing on the anticipation aspect.

not quite anticipated

Indicates a minor discrepancy between expectation and reality.

not as anticipated

Highlights the deviation from an expected outcome or event.

somewhat unforeseen

Focuses on the element of surprise or lack of planning.

slightly unpredicted

Indicates only a small part of something was unpredicted.

partially unpredicted

Indicates that only some aspects were not foreseen.

not fully expected

Suggests the expectation was incomplete or uncertain.

less foreseeable

Focuses on the reduced ability to predict an outcome.

less predictable

Highlights the reduced predictability of an event.

relatively unlooked-for

Stresses the unexpected nature of the event.

FAQs

How can I use "less anticipated" in a sentence?

You can use "less anticipated" to describe an outcome or event that was not expected to the same degree as something else. For example, "The side effects were "less anticipated" than the primary benefits of the medication."

What's the difference between "less anticipated" and "unexpected"?

"Less anticipated" suggests that there was some expectation, but the actual occurrence was lower than predicted. "Unexpected" implies that there was no prior anticipation or expectation at all.

Are there synonyms for "less anticipated" that I can use?

Yes, alternatives include "less expected", "not as anticipated", or "somewhat unforeseen". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

When is it appropriate to use "less anticipated" over "least anticipated"?

"Less anticipated" is suitable when comparing two or more expected outcomes, where one was predicted with less certainty. "Least anticipated" is used when identifying the single outcome that was the most surprising or unexpected among many possibilities.