less responses

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less responses" is not correct in standard written English.
The correct form would be "fewer responses," as "responses" is a countable noun. Example: "We received fewer responses to the survey this year compared to last year."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

In the best case scenarios, creative "power of less" responses to dramatic budget cuts have resulted in outcomes much better than the status quo, especially when technology was leveraged.

Forbes

This off-the-hookness means that there are less responses to real life and no real awareness.

Huffington Post

Items with 3 or less responses have not been included in the table.

BMC Women's Health

Less responses were also seen in shoots of P. balsamifera [ 6].

BMC Plant Biology

In case of less responses, the opening date is extended by one week and all vendors are informed accordingly.

Unicef

If three or less responses occurred among the first 13 patients or 12 or less responses in the total population of 43 patients, the treatment had to be judged ineffective and enrolment stopped.

British Journal of Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

"But we've had less response from New Yorkers, our regulars," she said.

The New York Times - Food

They also showed less response to predators, and many were eaten by larger fish.

The Guardian

If I keep my job, I've been told to prepare for less response officers and more working alone – known as single crewing.

The Guardian

If you are doing things the same way you did them 10 years ago, you are probably getting less response.

The New York Times

The patients with interictal pain showed less response to therapies.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to countable nouns like "responses", use "fewer" instead of "less" for grammatical correctness. For example, use "fewer responses" instead of "less responses".

Common error

Avoid using "less" with countable nouns such as "responses", "items", or "people". Always use "fewer" for countable items and "less" for uncountable quantities. For example, write "fewer problems" instead of "less problems".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less responses" functions as a quantifier followed by a noun. Although commonly used, it's important to note that grammatically, "fewer responses" is the correct form. As Ludwig AI clarifies, "less" should be used with uncountable nouns.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "less responses" is commonly used to indicate a decrease in the number of replies or reactions. However, Ludwig AI points out that it is grammatically incorrect; the correct phrase is "fewer responses" when referring to countable nouns. While "less responses" appears across various contexts, including Science and News & Media, it's best to use "fewer responses" in formal writing to maintain grammatical accuracy. Alternatives include "reduced number of replies" or "lower response rate". Remember to reserve "less" for uncountable nouns.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fewer responses

Replaces "less" with "fewer", which is grammatically correct for countable nouns like "responses".

reduced number of replies

Uses "reduced number" for clarity and replaces "responses" with "replies", changing the wording to provide the same meaning but more precisely.

decreased responses

Uses "decreased" which implies a measurable reduction in the number of responses, adding a nuance of statistical significance.

lower response rate

Focuses on the rate rather than the absolute number of responses, implying a proportional decrease.

limited replies

Implies that the number of responses was restricted or insufficient.

minimal feedback

Shifts the focus from the quantity of responses to the quality of feedback received.

scarce feedback

Emphasizes the rarity or infrequency of responses.

sparse responses

Highlights the thinly scattered or infrequent nature of the responses.

subdued reactions

Focuses on the muted nature of the reactions received rather than the number.

weak response

Indicates the feebleness or ineffectiveness of the response, shifting the focus from quantity to impact.

FAQs

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

The grammatically correct way to say "less responses" is /s/fewer+responses because "responses" is a countable noun. Use "fewer" for countable items and "less" for uncountable items.

When should I use "fewer responses" instead of "less responses"?

Use /s/fewer+responses when you are referring to a countable number of replies or answers. "Fewer" is appropriate for items you can count individually.

Are there any alternatives to "fewer responses"?

Yes, you can use alternatives such as "a /s/reduced+number+of+replies", "/s/decreased+responses", or "a /s/lower+response+rate" depending on the specific context.

Is "less responses" ever grammatically correct?

No, "less responses" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The correct phrase is always /s/fewer+responses when referring to the number of replies or answers.