less however than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less however than" is not standard in written English and may cause confusion.
It could be used in contexts where a comparison is being made, but it is better to rephrase for clarity. Example: "The results were less, however, than what we expected."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

That will worry him less, however, than the question of how much further he gets in the Tour after two crashes in 24 hours.

The Guardian - Sport

The final settlement was far less, however, than the $1.05 billion settlement the parties announced last November to settle claims from about 4,000 plaintiffs.

The New York Times

(That is far less, however, than the $3 million the company would have paid just two years ago, before wind energy lobbyists persuaded the government to tax towers and turbines at a lower rate).

The New York Times

Conservatives mock his frequent use of the word "I", as in: "I am well aware of the expectations that accompany my presidency around the world".Such perceptions matter far less, however, than the state of the economy.

The Economist

That is still less, however, than the valuation of about $60 million it targeted earlier, according to a June 25 report from the Wall Street Journal.

TechCrunch

The impact of a cap-and-trade system will be less, however, than from biofuel production already mandated by current law.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

This year's crowd covered less area, however, than that throng.

The New York Times

They are less interesting, however, than five egg tempera-on-canvas paintings also on view.

The New York Times - Arts

Plenty of epistolary novels are much finer and less silly, however, than those 18th-century romps.

The Guardian - Books

Less odd, however, than running from an imaginary 25-foot-tall gorilla.

The New York Times

These funds are smaller and less tested, however, than the FDIC.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

For improved clarity, rephrase sentences using "less however than" with alternatives like "not as much as" or "fewer than" depending on the context. This enhances readability and avoids grammatical awkwardness.

Common error

Avoid using "less however than" as it can sound unnatural. Opt for clearer constructions such as "less than, though" or "not as much as" for better sentence flow.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less however than" functions as a comparative conjunction, attempting to link two contrasting elements while establishing a degree of difference. Ludwig AI suggests it is not standard written English, and rephrasing it will result in improved clarity.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Academia

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "less however than" is used to draw a comparison while introducing a degree of contrast or qualification. However, Ludwig AI identifies it as non-standard and potentially confusing. It is grammatically awkward and stylistically suboptimal. While it appears across different types of sources, including news, scientific and academic publications, clearer and more concise alternatives such as "not as much as" or "fewer than" are generally preferred, especially in formal writing. Thus, while the phrase conveys a specific meaning, its awkwardness makes it advisable to use alternative phrasings for improved clarity and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

less...than, though

Adds 'though' to provide a more natural flow in expressing contrast after a comparison.

less...than, nevertheless

Replaces 'however' with 'nevertheless' for a more formal tone.

less...than, even so

Substitutes 'however' with 'even so' to soften the contrast.

not as much as, though

Rephrases the comparison using 'not as much as' and adds 'though' for contrast.

fewer than, but

Uses 'fewer than' for countable items and 'but' to indicate contrast.

smaller than, yet

Employs 'smaller than' for size comparisons and 'yet' for a mild contrast.

to a lesser extent than

Provides a more formal and precise comparison.

not quite as much as

Softens the comparison by using 'not quite as much as'.

though less than

Inverts the structure to emphasize the contrast with 'though'.

while less than

Starts with 'while' to introduce a contrasting element to the comparison.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "less however than" for better clarity?

Consider alternatives like "not as much as" or "fewer than" for improved clarity and grammatical correctness.

Is "less however than" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "less however than" is not considered standard English. It's better to restructure the sentence for improved grammatical flow.

What is a more formal alternative to "less however than"?

A more formal alternative would be "to a "lesser extent than"", which provides a more precise comparison.

In what contexts should I avoid using "less however than"?

It's best to avoid using "less however than" in formal writing, academic papers, or professional communications. Opt for clearer and more conventional phrasing in those contexts.