less fairly than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less fairly than" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in a comparative context, but it is better to use more conventional expressions. Example: "The results were distributed less fairly than expected, leading to dissatisfaction among the participants."

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

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

The New York Times

It is unacceptable for any institution to discipline black officers five times more often than their white counterparts and to treat any minority group less fairly than another.

The Guardian

And about three times as many blacks as whites say that blacks are treated less fairly than whites at work, in stores or restaurants, in public schools and by the health care system.

The New York Times

Forty-three percent of Gen Z Republicans said that black Americans are treated less fairly than whites; only 30percentt of millennial Republicans and fewer than a quarter of older Republicans said the same. .

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

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

Indeed, a recent study by the Pew Research Center showed that 70percentt of black Americans surveyed believed they are treated less fairly by police than whites are.

Huffington Post

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

The New York Times

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

A policy capturing design (Study 1) found that managers rated job applicants who had been treated unfairly by their previous employers as less suitable than fairly treated applicants, after objective performance information was controlled.

Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes

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

The New York Times

By the proposed method, total harmonic distortion is reduced to values which are fairly less than the limits defined in IEEE 519 Standards.

Electric Power Systems Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While grammatically sound, consider using stronger or more common alternatives such as "more unfairly than" or "not as fairly as" for greater clarity and impact.

Common error

Avoid using "less fairly than" in overly complex sentences where a simpler comparative structure would be clearer. Overuse can make writing seem convoluted.

Linguistic Context

Comparative Adverbial Phrase: "Less fairly than" functions as an adverbial phrase expressing a comparison of the manner in which something is done. It indicates that an action or situation is characterized by a lower degree of fairness when compared to something else. As indicated by Ludwig, the phrase is not standard and may cause confusion.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "less fairly than" is used to draw a direct comparison, indicating a lower degree of fairness between two subjects or scenarios. While grammatically sound, Ludwig indicates it is not a common construction and can sometimes be perceived as awkward. The analyzed data reveals that it is primarily used in the context of news and media and scientific discussions. Given its relative infrequency, opting for more direct and commonly used alternatives like "more unfairly than" or "not as fairly as" can improve clarity. It's crucial to consider the context and target audience when deciding whether to use this phrase or a more conventional alternative.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

more unfairly than

Emphasizes the inequity using a more common phrasing.

not as fairly as

Expresses the comparison using a negative construction.

in a more unjust manner than

Replaces "fairly" with "just" to add emphasis on justice.

with greater bias than

Shifts the focus to the presence of bias in the comparison.

to a more inequitable degree than

Uses "inequitable" for a formal tone to describe disparity.

with less impartiality than

Highlights the lack of impartiality.

on less equal terms than

Emphasizes the equality of the comparison.

more disproportionately than

Highlights the unequal proportion in treatment.

at a disadvantage compared to

Focuses on the disadvantaged position in relation to something else.

in a more discriminatory fashion than

Accentuates the discriminatory aspect of the comparison.

FAQs

Is "less fairly than" grammatically correct?

Yes, "less fairly than" is grammatically correct but might sound awkward or less natural compared to alternatives like "more unfairly than" or "not as fairly as".

What are some alternatives to "less fairly than"?

Alternatives include "more unfairly than", "not as fairly as", or "more unjustly than" depending on the specific context.

When is it appropriate to use "less fairly than"?

It's appropriate when you want to make a direct comparison emphasizing a slightly lower degree of fairness, although other phrasings are generally preferred for their clarity and common usage.

Which is better, "less fairly than" or "more unfairly than"?

Generally, "more unfairly than" is preferred because it's a more common and direct way to express the comparison.