less fairly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less fairly" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is typically used to compare the degree of fairness between two things or situations. Example: The company's new policy treats employees less fairly than the previous one. In this sentence, "less fairly" is comparing the level of fairness between the two policies. Another example could be: "The distribution of resources in the city is becoming less fairly divided, with certain neighborhoods receiving more funding than others." Here, "less fairly" is comparing the fairness of resource distribution over time.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

24 human-written examples

Can it be that women are treated less fairly than men?

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It was all quite dispassionate, the bouts arranged and refereed by older Freitases, and more or less fairly conducted.

The New Yorker

More than twice as many blacks as whites say that blacks are treated less fairly by the courts.

The New York Times

A majority of blacks also say they are treated less fairly than whites in public schools and in the workplace.

The New York Times

Our Ethical Journalism policy says this about dealing with the public: We treat our readers no less fairly in private than in public.

The New York Times

According to a Pew Research Center poll released Thursday, nearly twice as many blacks as whites say that blacks are treated less fairly by the police.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

Of course, the costs of any of the proposals that the Court today approves will be less than fairly apportioned.

Cornell University

"If you had to go to court and say you had been treated less than fairly, Britain would probably be the place to do it," he said.

The Guardian

Maybe it was the effect of the television ads put up by Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, which include unproven allegations that Senator John Kerry came by his war medals less than fairly.

The New York Times

There's a huge divergence across incompetence and actually now there's some groups of whites that have seen some of the most negative trends really, so less educated, fairly low income, older white sub-scene, really shocking changes in life expectancy.

University of California, Berkeley

Jokes about BMW drivers being, on average, somewhat less than courteous are fairly common.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "less fairly", ensure the context clearly establishes what is being compared to what, making the reduction in fairness explicit.

Common error

Avoid using "less fairly" when "unfairly" directly describes the situation. "Less fairly" implies a comparison, while "unfairly" asserts a state of injustice.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less fairly" functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating a comparative reduction in the fairness with which an action is performed or a situation is handled. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and can be used in writing.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

56%

Science

24%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Wiki

2%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "less fairly" is a grammatically sound and commonly used adverbial phrase that functions to express a reduction in fairness. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is suitable for use in a variety of contexts, although primarily found in News & Media, Science and Formal & Business domains. When employing "less fairly", it's crucial to ensure clarity by explicitly stating the points of comparison to avoid ambiguity. While "less fairly" is versatile, it's also vital to consider the nuance it provides – a comparative judgment, rather than a direct accusation of unfairness – and weigh its suitability against alternatives like "unfairly", "more unjustly" and "with diminished equity".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

to a lesser extent fairly

Adds explicit emphasis on extent to which fairness is lessened.

not as justly

Highlights comparison between former fair state, and a less fair current state.

in a less equitable manner

Focuses on the manner in which fairness is reduced.

with diminished equity

Highlights the reduction in equity or impartiality.

with reduced impartiality

Highlights the loss of impartiality.

more unjustly

Emphasizes the injustice involved, rather than a simple reduction in fairness.

on balance unfairly

Implies an overall assessment that results in unfairness.

somewhat unfairly

Introduces stronger negative connotation of injustice.

in a biased way

Emphasizes the presence of bias.

in a discriminatory fashion

Focuses on discrimination as a reduction of fairness.

FAQs

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

Use "less fairly" to compare the degree of fairness between two actions, policies, or treatments. For example, "The new system treats applicants "less fairly" than the old one."

What are some alternatives to saying "less fairly"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "more unjustly", "with diminished equity", or "in a less equitable manner".

Is it always appropriate to use "less fairly", or are there situations where "unfairly" is a better choice?

"Less fairly" is best when making a direct comparison. If you want to assert a state of injustice without comparison, "unfairly" is more appropriate.

What's the difference between "less fair" and "less fairly"?

"Less fair" is an adjective phrase describing the quality of something, while "less fairly" is an adverbial phrase describing how something is done. For example, "The outcome was less fair," versus "The task was executed "less fairly"."