less successful

USAGE SUMMARY

"less successful" is a correct phrase in written English.
You can use it when you are comparing success levels between two or more subjects. Example: Despite his best efforts, John's new business venture was less successful than his last.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

These were less successful.

The New Yorker

Others were less successful.

The Economist

Mitt Romney was less successful.

The Economist

It's also vastly less successful.

The New Yorker

Other movies were less successful.

The Guardian - Film

Those I found less successful.

The New York Times - Arts

Other stories are less successful.

The New York Times - Books

Philip was less successful militarily.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Other efforts proved less successful.

The New York Times

Two appetizers were less successful.

The New York Times

The Cubs were less successful.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing different endeavors, clearly specify what you are comparing "less successful" to, for clarity. For example, "The second marketing campaign was less successful than the first."

Common error

Avoid using "less successful" without a clear point of comparison. Ensure the context makes it obvious what is being compared to what, to prevent ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less successful" functions primarily as a comparative adjective phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to indicate a lower degree of success relative to something else. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is considered correct in written English. It allows for nuanced comparison rather than absolute statements of failure.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

79%

Encyclopedias

10%

Science

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "less successful" is a grammatically sound and frequently used comparative adjective phrase for indicating a lower degree of success. As Ludwig AI confirms, its usage is considered correct in written English. Primarily appearing in News & Media and Encyclopedias, it serves to make comparisons in achievement across various domains. When employing this phrase, ensure a clear context and comparison point for optimal clarity. Alternatives such as "not as successful" or "relatively unsuccessful" can be used depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not as successful

Replaces "less" with "not as", maintaining a similar comparative meaning but with a slightly different emphasis.

relatively unsuccessful

Adds "relatively" to indicate a degree of failure in comparison to something else.

moderately unsuccessful

Uses "moderately" to suggest a limited degree of failure or lack of success.

not very successful

Emphasizes the lack of success more directly than "less successful".

somewhat unsuccessful

Indicates a mild degree of failure or lack of achievement.

partially unsuccessful

Highlights that only a portion of the effort or goal was not achieved.

not entirely successful

Suggests that there were some positive outcomes, but overall success was not complete.

failed to achieve as much

Focuses on the shortfall in achievement compared to expectations or other benchmarks.

underachieved

A single word alternative that implies not reaching the expected level of success.

fell short of success

Emphasizes the idea of not quite reaching the desired level of accomplishment.

FAQs

How can I use "less successful" in a sentence?

You can use "less successful" to compare the outcomes of two or more endeavors, indicating one achieved fewer positive results than the other. For instance, "His second attempt was "less successful" than his first."

What are some alternatives to saying "less successful"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "not as successful", "relatively unsuccessful", or "moderately unsuccessful" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it better to say "less successful" or "unsuccessful"?

"Less successful" implies a comparison, indicating a lower degree of success. "Unsuccessful" suggests a complete lack of success. The better choice depends on whether you're making a comparison or describing a complete failure.

What's the difference between "less successful" and "failed"?

"Less successful" indicates a lower degree of success compared to something else, while "failed" suggests a complete lack of success or achievement. "Less successful" is a milder term than "failed".