less reply

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less reply" is not correct and usable in written English.
It seems to be an attempt to convey a desire for fewer responses or a reduced amount of replies, but it is not a standard expression. Example: "I would appreciate less reply on this topic to keep the discussion focused."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Send less, reply less, and use voice to voice or IM more often.

HuffPost

Most of the time the experts will not have the time even to read the letter, much less reply or do anything with it since they are not at a stage where they have the liberty to waste time.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Lessing replied by saying: "What they didn't realize was that in science fiction is some of the best social fiction of our time.

Wikipedia

The call for a neutral humanitarianism seems less a reply to the questions Rieff raises than a retreat from them.

The New York Times - Books

The more factual (but certainly less entertaining) reply is that Mr. Greenblatt is a fan of Mr. Wootton's "High Spirits With Shirley Ghostman," a television hit in Britain in 2005 that was broadcast on BBC America in 2006.

The New York Times - Arts

Send less and reply less to receive less email.

WikiHow

Harrison, rather less verbose, replies, "I hear you, brother".

The New York Times

None the less, she replies frequently, often straying into non-business territory.

Independent

"Being a cop's the only thing that makes me drink less," Stone replies.

The New York Times - Arts

"If you talk like that, I shall love you a little less," she replied.

The Guardian - Books

Afterward, he was far less chatty, replying with one-word answers and shrugs that made it clear he was not in the mood for a postgame interview, though he was not going to say "no" outright.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for conciseness, prioritize grammatically correct alternatives such as "fewer replies" or "less feedback" depending on the context. Clarity always trumps brevity.

Common error

Avoid using "less" when referring to countable items like replies. Use "fewer" instead. For example, say "fewer replies", not "less reply".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less reply" functions as an attempt to express a desire for a reduced number of responses. However, according to Ludwig AI, it's grammatically incorrect. The intended function is to request fewer responses or a decrease in feedback.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

34%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "less reply" is generally considered grammatically incorrect and rarely used. According to Ludwig AI, it's better to opt for alternatives like "fewer replies" (when referring to the number of responses) or "less feedback" (when referring to the amount of general feedback). While there are some occurrences in News & Media, Wiki, and Scientific contexts, it is advised to avoid using "less reply" in formal writing to maintain clarity and professionalism. Instead, using grammatically correct alternatives ensures effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fewer replies

Replaces "less" with "fewer" to correctly quantify countable items (replies).

reduce responses

Uses a verb to suggest a decrease in the number of responses.

minimize feedback

Employs a different noun and verb to express a similar concept of reducing input.

decrease the number of replies

A more explicit and grammatically sound way of saying "less reply".

limit responses

Suggests setting a boundary on the amount of responses received.

curtail feedback

Uses a stronger verb to indicate a reduction in the amount of feedback.

less feedback

Focuses on reducing the amount of general feedback, which may include replies.

fewer responses needed

Shifts the focus to the requirement of needing fewer responses.

reduce the amount of correspondence

Broadens the scope to overall correspondence instead of just replies.

discourage replies

Suggests actions to make people less likely to reply.

FAQs

What's a grammatically correct way to say "less reply"?

The grammatically correct alternatives are "fewer replies" (if you're talking about the number of replies) or "less feedback" (if you're talking about the amount of feedback in general).

How do I choose between "less feedback" and "fewer replies"?

"Less feedback" is used for uncountable nouns (like information), whereas ""fewer replies"" is used for countable nouns (like individual responses). So, consider what you're actually trying to reduce.

Can I use "less reply" in any situation?

It's best to avoid "less reply" in formal writing. Opt for grammatically correct alternatives like "fewer replies" to maintain clarity and professionalism.

Is there a more formal way to ask for fewer replies?

You can use phrases like "We would appreciate a reduction in the number of responses" or "Please limit your replies to only the most essential information". These alternatives are more suitable for professional or academic contexts.