less bigger

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence "less bigger" is not correct or usable in written English.
You can use the phrase "smaller" instead of "less bigger" to express that something is not large. For example, "The toy car was much smaller than the life-sized model."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The new big iPhone and its younger less bigger brother hit the streets, along with the iOS refresh that will link the shipping devices to a late October iPad update and next year's iWatch.

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Less big towns on 50/285 for sure.

The Guardian

"China's Use of Big Data Might Actually Make it Less Big-brotherish". Huang, Yasheng.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

"Now the links that are left are less and less famous, less and less big".

The New York Times - Tech

Ms. Bloom's children are "all more or less big people now," she said.

The New York Times - Books

Cooking and eating well is much harder than just eating less, "Biggest Loser" contestants said.

The New York Times - Food

It's less Big Brother and more hundreds of tittletattle little brothers.

The Guardian - Tech

You get to the solution more quickly with less "big budget possibilities" clutter.

The Guardian

Scotty Lago, a good friend of Pearce's who had had far less big-event success, won bronze.

The New York Times - Sports

The noodler's score means one less big catfish in the population and leaves those eggs vulnerable to other predators.

The New York Times

There have been 15 tax cuts in the Bush years, two big ones, the rest less big.

The New York Times - Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "less bigger" in formal writing. Opt for the grammatically correct alternative "smaller" or rephrase the sentence to use "not as big".

Common error

Be careful not to use double comparatives like "less bigger". In English, you typically use either "less" or the "-er" suffix for comparison, but not both together. Choose the correct comparative form or rephrase to avoid this error.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less bigger" functions as a comparative adjective phrase, attempting to describe a relative size. However, it is grammatically incorrect due to the double comparative. Ludwig AI confirms this, advising against its use in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

25%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Wiki

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Social Media

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "less bigger" might occasionally appear, it is grammatically incorrect and should generally be avoided. Ludwig AI flags it as incorrect, suggesting the use of alternatives like "smaller" or "not as big". The intended meaning is to convey a reduction in size or importance, but the phrasing undermines its effectiveness in formal or professional contexts. Its rare occurrence and grammatical issues contribute to a low expert rating. Prioritize grammatically sound alternatives for clear and effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

smaller

Direct replacement focusing on size reduction.

not as big

Rephrasing the comparison using a negative construction.

less significant

Shifting focus from size to importance.

of reduced size

Formal way to express a decrease in size.

to a lesser extent

Focusing on the degree of impact or influence.

minimized

Emphasis on reducing something to the smallest possible amount.

not as substantial

Similar meaning, but less direct replacement.

decreased in size

Focus on the action of size reduction.

less considerable

Less direct but comparable in meaning.

relatively small

Indirect, focusing on relative scale rather than direct comparison.

FAQs

What's a more grammatically sound alternative to "less bigger"?

The correct term to use instead of "less bigger" is "smaller". It accurately conveys the meaning of being reduced in size.

How can I use "smaller" in a sentence?

Instead of saying "This version is less bigger", you would say "This version is "smaller" than the previous one".

Is "less bigger" ever considered acceptable in English?

While occasionally used in informal contexts, "less bigger" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. It's always best to use "smaller" in both formal and informal settings.

What's the difference between "less bigger" and "not as big"?

"Less bigger" is grammatically incorrect. "Not as big" is a correct way to express that something is "smaller", framing it as a comparison rather than a direct measure of size.