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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
less deeper
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "less deeper" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form would be "less deep" as "deep" is an adjective and should not be modified by "less" in the comparative form. Example: "The water in this part of the lake is less deep than in the center."
⚠ May contain grammatical issues
Science
News & Media
Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Human-verified examples from authoritative sources
Exact Expressions
6 human-written examples
During taking whip roller in less deeper position, shed area was becoming long.
Science
Furthermore, the state metric memory is twice less deeper in this case.
However, it was much less deeper (< 35 cm) when considering the agronomic interpretation of the soil acidity properties.
Science
For 45% of the respondents, terminal sedation comprised the complete elimination of consciousness, 55% also used the term for less deeper forms of sedation, in which consciousness is clouded but the patient is still able to have conscious perceptions.
Science
Compared with Edelsberg's study [ 5], we found more "often fatal infections" (7.2% vs 1.3%), less "deeper or healthcare-associated infections" (35.9% vs 40.1%) and a similar proportion of "superficial infections" (56.9% vs 58.6%) in the hospitalized patients with SSTIs.
Science
The nest chamber was at an average 20 cm (range: 18 22 cm) from the top surface which was markedly less deeper compared to the nest chamber in M. booduga burrows which was at an average depth of 41 cm (range: 38 45) in the alluvial and deltaic soils in the north and at 30 cm (range: 28 32 cm) in the red and coastal alluvial soils in the south.
Science
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
53 human-written examples
The site became less deep, it became" -- he paused -- "less".
News & Media
The divide between religious and secular runs no less deep.
News & Media
Philip Rivers intercepted on a slightly less deep heave in Washington!
News & Media
"We need to go deeper in some areas and less deep in others.
News & Media
But as I got older, exposing how frail people can be seems less and less deep.
News & Media
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
When aiming to describe something with reduced depth, use the phrase "less deep" or the single word "shallower". For instance, say "the water is less deep here" instead of "the water is less deeper here".
Common error
Refrain from using double comparatives such as "less deeper". "Deep" is an adjective, and its comparative form should be constructed using "less" or by using the single-word adjective "shallower".
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Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "less deeper" functions as a comparative, attempting to describe a reduced degree of depth. However, as pointed out by Ludwig AI, this construction is grammatically incorrect, and the standard form is "less deep".
Frequent in
Science
50%
News & Media
50%
Formal & Business
0%
Less common in
Encyclopedias
0%
Wiki
0%
Social Media
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, the phrase "less deeper" is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI confirms, it combines "less" with the comparative form of "deep", creating a double comparative. The correct way to express a reduced degree of depth is to use "less deep" or "shallower". While the phrase may appear in various sources, it is best to avoid it in formal writing and speech.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
less deep
This is the grammatically correct alternative, using "less" to modify the adjective "deep".
shallower
This single word replaces the phrase with a more concise and grammatically sound adjective.
not as deep
This alternative provides a clear and grammatically correct way to express reduced depth.
a smaller depth
This rephrases the concept using a noun phrase, emphasizing the measurable aspect of depth.
reduced depth
This uses the past participle "reduced" as an adjective to modify "depth", highlighting a decrease in depth.
a lower depth
This uses "lower" to describe a decrease in depth, offering a similar meaning to "less deep" but with slightly different emphasis.
less profound
This alternative shifts the meaning to a figurative sense of depth, referring to intensity or significance.
not so deep
A more informal way of saying something isn't as deep.
superficial
This adjective describes something that lacks depth, often in a figurative sense.
fleeting
This describes a quick amount of time, as opposed to having little deepness.
FAQs
What is the correct way to say "less deeper"?
Is it grammatically correct to use "less deeper"?
No, "less deeper" is grammatically incorrect. The proper construction is "less deep". Using both "less" and the comparative suffix '-er' creates a double comparative, which is not standard English.
When should I use "less deep" instead of "deeper"?
Use "less deep" when you want to indicate that something has a smaller depth compared to something else. For example, "This end of the pool is less deep than the other end."
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Table of contents
Usage summary
Human-verified examples
Expert writing tips
Linguistic context
Ludwig's wrap-up
Alternative expressions
FAQs
Source & Trust
86%
Authority and reliability
2.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested