less fights

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less fights" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form would be "fewer fights," as "fewer" is used for countable nouns. Example: "We need to find a way to have fewer fights in our relationship."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

And he's done it in less fights than any other fighter up here.

The Guardian - Sport

So far, it's going really well, we're definitely having less fights.

The Guardian

Naseem Hamed was sat front row to watch British boxing's most dynamic youngster since the Prince from Sheffield became WBO featherweight champion aged 21, beating Khan's quite brilliant achievement by a year and in two less fights.

The Guardian - Sport

By treating them with respect, you have less problems and less fights.

Vice

By treating them with respect you have less problems and less fights.

Vice

By the end of the year there were less fights, it was no longer a daily occurrence.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

But another reason, friends and associates of Mr. Simon say, is that he has less fight in him.

The New York Times

You wonder how these supposed friends could expend so much energy without water and still be able to talk, much less fight.

The New York Times

No one on the current political landscape has even the vision, much less the courage, to tell the truth, much less fight for it.

The New York Times

"I think we can more or less fight with the Hondas on Sunday," added Lorenzo, who traded fastest laps with Stoner until the Australian clocked his best time with 15 minutes of qualifying remaining.

BBC

Recessions come and go and you can more or less fight against what you perceive as wrong, with whatever means you find or make available.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "fewer fights" instead of "less fights" in formal writing. "Fewer" is used for countable nouns, while "less" is used for uncountable nouns.

Common error

Avoid using "less" with countable nouns like "fights". Using "less" in this context is a common error, but it's important to use "fewer" to maintain grammatical correctness. Remember, if you can count the individual items, use "fewer."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less fights" functions as a noun phrase intended to quantify a reduction in the number of physical or verbal altercations. However, Ludwig AI indicates that it's grammatically incorrect due to the misuse of "less" with a countable noun. Similar examples show intent, but the grammar is flawed.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "less fights" is used to indicate a decrease in the number of altercations, Ludwig AI flags it as grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "fewer fights", as "fewer" should be used with countable nouns. Despite the grammatical error, the phrase appears across diverse sources, including news and general interest content, indicating common understanding if not formal correctness. When writing formally, always opt for "fewer fights" or other alternatives like "reduced conflicts" or "decreased altercations" to maintain grammatical accuracy. The prevalence of the error highlights the importance of distinguishing between "less" and "fewer" in English usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fewer fights

This is the grammatically correct alternative, using 'fewer' for countable nouns.

reduced conflicts

Replaces "fights" with a more formal synonym, "conflicts," while maintaining the sense of reduction.

decreased altercations

Substitutes both "less" and "fights" for more formal vocabulary.

fewer arguments

Uses "arguments" as a synonym for "fights," providing a slightly different nuance.

less conflict

Uses "less" with the uncountable noun "conflict" creating a slightly different, but related, meaning.

a decline in fights

Uses a noun phrase to describe a decrease, focusing on the overall trend.

a reduction in altercations

Emphasizes the "reduction" aspect using formal vocabulary, altering the structure.

a drop in conflicts

Uses "drop" to signify a decrease, providing a slightly more casual tone.

diminished discord

Replaces both words for a more literary/formal tone.

lower incidence of fights

Describes the reduction in fights in term of their incidence.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "less fights"?

The grammatically correct way to say "less fights" is "fewer fights". Use "fewer" when referring to countable nouns.

When should I use "less" versus "fewer"?

Use "fewer" for countable nouns (things you can count individually, like "fights", "arguments", or "conflicts"). Use "less" for uncountable nouns (things you can't count individually, like "water", "time", or "conflict" in a general sense).

What are some alternatives to saying "less fights"?

Instead of "less fights", you can say "fewer conflicts", "reduced arguments", or "decreased altercations" depending on the context.

Is "less conflict" the same as "fewer fights"?

"Less conflict" refers to a general reduction in disagreement or strife, while "fewer fights" refers to a reduction in the number of physical or verbal altercations. While related, they are not interchangeable. "Conflict" in "less conflict" is being used as an uncountable noun, while "fights" in "fewer fights" is countable.