less pressing than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less pressing than" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to compare the urgency or importance of one matter relative to another. Example: "While the budget review is important, the upcoming project deadline is less pressing than the need for team cohesion."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

But now profits were less pressing than survival.

The New York Times

Besides, the Jospin line ran, thanks to rapid economic growth the problem was less pressing than the pessimists claimed.

The Economist

But he can use the size of his mandate to preach the virtues of the assembly.Economic change seems less pressing than political renewal.

The Economist

They also warned that inflation remained "of significant concern," but their concern about rising prices seemed less pressing than it did at their June meeting.

The New York Times

There were still labor shortages, but in at least a few regions they were less pressing than earlier in the autumn.

The New York Times

The privacy issues here seem less pressing than in domestic abuse cases, given that protesters have already chosen to demonstrate in public.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

35 human-written examples

Concerns about visual context are less pressing here than in much of the United States or Europe.

The New York Times

When it's counted — even in less pressing cases than the one you describe, such as Ethiopia — the Obama Administration has been no different than most.

The New Yorker

Antibiotics: Why is antiviral resistance a less pressing issue than antibiotic resistance?

Forbes

But in reality, the federal budget deficit has always been a less pressing issue than a state budget deficit -- with conservatives blithely pursuing unfunded wars and tax cuts and liberals expanding social programs -- because the feds are allowed to print money and run deficits and the states are not.

Huffington Post

Cochrane said that Europe's continuing woes were still a worry in the US, although far less pressing at the moment than they had been.

The Guardian - Business

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing the relative importance of two issues, use "less pressing than" to indicate that one requires attention or action, but not as urgently as the other.

Common error

Avoid using "less pressing than" when the issue is not pressing at all. It's a comparative phrase, so ensure both items being compared have some level of importance or urgency, however small.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less pressing than" functions as a comparative adjective phrase, indicating that one thing has lower urgency or importance relative to another. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. This phrase is used to prioritize between two or more elements.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

88%

Science

8%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "less pressing than" is a useful phrase for expressing comparative urgency and importance. Ludwig AI validates its correctness and common usage, particularly in News & Media. When using this phrase, ensure a clear comparison is being made between two items that both possess some degree of importance. Consider alternatives like "less urgent than" or "not as critical as" to further refine your meaning. While prevalent in various contexts, it is crucial to use "less pressing than" accurately to avoid misrepresenting the true level of urgency.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

less urgent than

Replaces "pressing" with a direct synonym, emphasizing the time-sensitivity aspect.

of lesser priority than

Directly addresses the prioritization of tasks or issues.

not as critical as

Shifts the focus from urgency to the level of importance or necessity.

not as crucial as

Similar to "not as critical as", highlighting the vital nature of one item over another.

not as important as

Directly compares the significance of two items.

not as vital as

Similar to “not as crucial as”, emphasizing the necessity of the alternative.

of secondary importance to

Formal phrasing that places something in a subordinate position.

subordinate to

Indicates that one thing is lower in a hierarchy of importance.

outweighed by

Focuses on the relative weight or impact of two items, with one being more significant.

pales in comparison to

Emphasizes a significant difference in importance, where one thing seems insignificant next to another.

FAQs

How do I use "less pressing than" in a sentence?

Use "less pressing than" to compare two items, indicating that one is not as urgent or important as the other. For example, "While the budget review is important, the upcoming project deadline is "less pressing than" the need for team cohesion."

What can I say instead of "less pressing than"?

You can use alternatives like "less urgent than", "not as critical as", or "of lesser priority than" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "less pressing than" or "less pressured than"?

"Less pressing than" is the more common and generally preferred phrasing when discussing the relative importance or urgency of matters. "Less pressured than" might be appropriate in specific contexts referring to feeling pressure, but it's not a direct substitute.

What's the difference between "less pressing than" and "not as important as"?

While both phrases compare the relative significance of two items, ""less pressing than"" specifically refers to urgency or time-sensitivity, while "not as important as" refers to overall significance. They can be interchangeable in some contexts, but not always.