less than correct

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less than correct" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is not entirely accurate or is partially incorrect. Example: "The report was less than correct, leading to misunderstandings in the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

For Hills's generosity towards the Court requires Hills to be less than generous-and at times less than correct towards the Constitution itself.

Yale University

While Frances Kelsey's actions were never less than correct, as one of us is a woman injured by the effects of thalidomide, born in Cincinnati without lower legs, it's a question that haunts: Why didn't Kelsey shut the study down, given her fears about pregnant women included in the studies?

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Responses were categorized as "Good Knowledge" (10 correct answers), "Average Knowledge" (7 9 correct answers) and "Poor Knowledge" (less than 6 correct answers).

BMC Public Health

That study found that incorrect responses of expert typists were less forceful than correct responses.

Plosone

Nevertheless, correct nucleotide incorporation was preferred, and misincorporation frequency opposite S-cdA and S-cdG was 10- to 100-fold less efficient than correct nucleotide incorporation (Table 5).

Chemical Research in Toxicology

Boris is well known for his less-than-politically-correct attitude to women, but he has always denied, vehemently, being sexist.

Independent

This resulted in cut-off points of less than 8 correct answers (below the 25% percentile), which was categorized as poor knowledge (45 patients); and more than 11 correct answers (above the 75% percentile), which was categorized as good knowledge (41 patients).

BMC Family Practice

The givers scored 12percentt higher than the others, averaging more than 33 problems correct in 15 minutes -- those who divided resources evenly or kept the majority for themselves each averaged less than 30 correct.

Huffington Post

A million blue links from Google is worth far less than one correct answer from Siri.

TechCrunch

"A million blue links from Google is worth far less than one correct answer from Siri," he adds.

TechCrunch

CFM-ID followed with 14% correctly identified compounds and MAGMa+ and MS-FINDER identified less than 14% correct.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "less than correct" to politely point out inaccuracies without being overly critical. It's suitable for professional and academic environments where diplomacy is important.

Common error

Avoid using "less than correct" in casual conversations. Simpler phrases like "not quite right" or "a bit off" are more appropriate and natural.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less than correct" functions as a comparative adjective phrase, used to describe something that is not entirely accurate or contains inaccuracies. Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is grammatically correct and usable in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

50%

Academia

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "less than correct" is a useful and grammatically sound way to describe something that is not entirely accurate. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is appropriate for both formal and informal contexts but is particularly valuable in professional settings where tact and diplomacy are important. While "incorrect" states that something is wrong, "less than correct" allows for a more nuanced expression, softening criticism. It is frequently used across Science, News & Media, and Academia. For informal settings, consider alternatives such as "not quite right".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not entirely accurate

This indicates a partial lack of accuracy, suggesting some aspects are correct while others are not.

partially incorrect

Focuses on the incorrect aspects, suggesting only a part of the information is wrong.

not fully correct

Similar to "not entirely accurate", this emphasizes that the information is missing something to be fully right.

somewhat inaccurate

This suggests a slight degree of inaccuracy, implying the statement is not far from being correct but still contains errors.

imprecise

Highlights a lack of exactness or clarity, implying the information is not specific enough.

slightly flawed

Indicates that the information has imperfections or defects, making it less than perfect.

not quite right

A more informal way of saying something is off or inaccurate.

a bit off

An informal way to express that something is not accurate or correct.

beside the mark

This emphasizes that information is not relevant, accurate, or correct.

approximating incorrectness

A more academic or formal way of implying error, emphasizing the high degree of inaccuracy.

FAQs

How can I use "less than correct" in a sentence?

You can use "less than correct" to describe information that is not entirely accurate. For example, "The initial report was "less than correct", so we needed to revise it".

What are some alternatives to "less than correct"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases such as "not entirely accurate", "partially incorrect", or "somewhat inaccurate".

Is "less than correct" a formal expression?

"Less than correct" is suitable for formal and professional contexts. More informal settings may benefit from using simpler alternatives like "not quite right".

What's the difference between "less than correct" and "incorrect"?

"Less than correct" implies a degree of inaccuracy that is not total. "Incorrect" is a more direct statement that something is wrong. "Less than correct" can be a more diplomatic way of phrasing something.