less shorter than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less shorter than" is not correct.
You could say "shorter than," which is more correct. For example, "The tree was shorter than the one next to it."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The choice of 90 min was based upon the need to highlight the role transport processes play in drug action but, more importantly, to better mimic the in vivo exposure time to the drug, which is far less shorter than the "classical" cytotoxicity assays in which cells are exposed to drugs for 24, 48, and even 72 hours.

BMC Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Private investors tend to be less short-termist than venture capitalists, she argues, and perfectly capable of making their own investment decisions.

BBC

Shorter and less ponderous shorter than his 2009 address, it was not roundabout but cut straight to the point: "Preserving our individual freedoms ultimately requires collective action".

The Guardian - Opinion

In contrast, the older drivers in non-DID area drive significantly less and shorter than participants who are younger than 60.

Journal of Modern Transportation

One possible reason why DID-living older drivers do not drive less or shorter than others is that the former have more free time to avoid rush hours.

Journal of Modern Transportation

The film's final cut was less than shorter than most contemporaneous Tamil films.

Wikipedia

Nevertheless, their malaria risk seems to be higher because their denominator or length of stay is less or shorter than that of the permanent residents.

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

Furthermore, Doppler cardiac output was more reproducible, showing less short-term variability than thermodilution cardiac output.

Duke University

Lucent has less short-term debt coming due than Xerox, the debt analysts pointed out.

The New York Times

If so, deletions should be both less frequent and shorter than duplications.

Plosone

At 48 months, both males and females weighed less and were shorter than the reference population.

Environmental Health Perspectives

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using double comparatives like "less shorter than". Opt for the grammatically correct "shorter than".

Common error

Using both "less" and the comparative form of an adjective (e.g., "shorter") is a common mistake. Choose either "less long than" or "shorter than", but not both.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less shorter than" functions as a comparative, attempting to establish a difference in length or duration between two entities. However, as Ludwig AI indicates, this construction is grammatically incorrect due to the redundant use of "less" with the comparative adjective "shorter."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "less shorter than" is grammatically incorrect due to the redundant use of "less" with the comparative adjective "shorter". Ludwig AI confirms this, suggesting the correct form is simply "shorter than". While some examples exist across various contexts, including Science, News & Media, and Formal & Business, its usage is rare and should be avoided in formal writing. Alternatives like "not as long as" can also be used depending on the specific meaning you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

shorter than

Removes the redundant "less", resulting in a grammatically correct comparison.

not as long as

Replaces "shorter" with a synonymous phrase using "long" and a negative comparison.

a shorter length than

Adds specificity by explicitly mentioning "length" in the comparison.

of reduced duration compared to

Uses more formal language to express the concept of being shorter in time.

inferior in length to

Emphasizes the difference in length with a more assertive tone.

not quite as extensive as

Employs "extensive" instead of "short" and a negative comparison.

measurably smaller than

Highlights the measurable aspect of the difference in length.

a diminished size relative to

Uses more technical language to describe the reduction in size.

of lesser extent than

Focuses on the extent or scope of the item being compared.

smaller in stature than

Highlights the physical size or stature in the comparison.

FAQs

Is "less shorter than" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "less shorter than" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "shorter than". Using "less" with a comparative adjective creates a double comparative, which is generally considered an error in standard English.

What's a simple way to correct the phrase "less shorter than"?

The easiest correction is to remove "less". Saying "shorter than" is the correct and concise way to express the comparison.

Are there alternatives to "less shorter than" that convey the same meaning?

Yes, you can use phrases like "not as long as" or "of reduced duration" depending on the specific context.

When might someone mistakenly use "less shorter than"?

This error often arises when speakers or writers are unsure about comparative adjective formation or are trying to add emphasis, mistakenly believing that "less" intensifies the comparison. However, it's grammatically redundant.