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Justyna Jupowicz-Kozak
CEO of Professional Science Editing for Scientists @ prosciediting.com
less main
Grammar usage guide and real-world examplesUSAGE SUMMARY
The phrase "less main" is not standard or commonly used in written English.
It may be intended to convey a lesser degree of importance or prominence, but it lacks clarity and is not idiomatic. Example: "The less main issue at hand is the budget allocation."
⚠ 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
The smaller torque deviation when its clutch being connected is, the less main rotor speed droop is.
Through experiments, the proposed index structure resulted in a significantly lower write count and a greatly decreased search time with less main memory usage, than placing a layer that emulates a B-Tree.
Science
Using 9 GB of memory usage, our method performs up to three times faster than the best competitor while still needing less main memory.
Our variant with lowest main memory footprint (12 MB) achieves similar compression rates and compression speeds, while using almost two orders of magnitude less main memory.
In contrast, it compresses a complete human genome in just 11 seconds when provided with 9 GB of main memory, which is almost three times faster than the best competitor while using less main memory.
To cope with this situation, especially on low memory PCs, SISMA can be run with a specific option that produces the output in distinct slices, and that requires less main memory to produce the output of each slice.
Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources
Similar Expressions
52 human-written examples
Sticking by its "underground" ethos, the music in the trailer is less main-stage festival and more club-friendly, from Chris Lake & Matroda's remix of SNBRN's "California" to the Gesaffelstein- and Rezz-like brooding techno-electro fusion of Hyper's "Spoiler".
News & Media
The culture clash over helping the auto companies was less Main Street vs. Wall Street than it was the usual battles in Washington: White House vs. Congress, House vs. Senate, Democrat vs. Republican.
News & Media
None the less, the main impression was of a pair of clubs in need of redevelopment.
News & Media
Two good starters, chilled green-tomato soup and a crunchy, lightly lemony fritto misto, picked up where the radishes left off but were followed by much less snappy main courses.
News & Media
But other effects, perhaps including a delay in taking in new member states from the east, may prove less helpful.The main implications, though, go beyond financial-market twists and turns to something more fundamental.
News & Media
Expert writing Tips
Best practice
Consider using more established phrases like "less important" or "less significant" to convey your intended meaning with greater clarity and acceptance.
Common error
Avoid directly translating from other languages where a similar construction might be valid. English typically uses established comparative adjectives like "important" or "significant" rather than a direct modification of "main".
Source & Trust
86%
Authority and reliability
2.8/5
Expert rating
Real-world application tested
Linguistic Context
The phrase "less main" functions as a comparative adjective phrase, attempting to modify a noun by indicating a reduced degree of importance or prominence. However, Ludwig AI indicates that it's not standard English.
Frequent in
Science
40%
News & Media
35%
Formal & Business
25%
Less common in
Encyclopedias
0%
Wiki
0%
Reference
0%
Ludwig's WRAP-UP
In summary, while the phrase "less main" is understandable, it is not considered standard or grammatically correct in English. Ludwig AI confirms this assessment. It attempts to function as a comparative adjective, indicating a reduced level of importance. However, more established and accepted alternatives such as "less important" or "less significant" should be preferred for clarity and to avoid potential misinterpretations. While some examples exist in science and news media, the overall usage is uncommon, making it advisable to opt for more conventional phrasing.
More alternative expressions(6)
Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:
less significant
Replaces "main" with "significant" indicating a lower degree of importance.
less important
Substitutes "main" with "important" to convey reduced relevance.
less crucial
Uses "crucial" instead of "main", suggesting diminished criticality.
less central
Replaces "main" with "central", indicating reduced centrality or focus.
less vital
Employs "vital" in place of "main", signifying decreased essentiality.
less critical
Uses "critical" as a replacement for "main", denoting a reduced level of criticality.
of secondary importance
Expresses reduced importance using a more formal and descriptive phrase.
of lesser importance
Conveys diminished importance through a slightly more elaborate construction.
not the primary
Indicates that something is not the most important or foremost aspect.
of minor significance
Denotes a low degree of significance, using a more formal and descriptive expression.
FAQs
What is a better way to say "less main"?
Instead of "less main", consider using phrases like "less important", "less significant", or "secondary" depending on the context.
Is "less main" grammatically correct?
While understandable, "less main" is not considered standard English. It's generally better to use more common and accepted phrases to ensure clarity and avoid potential confusion.
Can I use "less main" in formal writing?
It's best to avoid "less main" in formal writing. Opt for more conventional alternatives like "less crucial" or "of secondary importance" to maintain a professional tone.
What's the difference between "less main" and "less primary"?
"Less primary" is a slightly more acceptable alternative to "less main", but it's still preferable to use established phrases like "less important" or "less significant" for better clarity and wider acceptance.
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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