less than excellent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less than excellent" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to express that something is not as good as it could be. For example, "The food was less than excellent."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

33 human-written examples

Deputy head Mike Humphreys notes that Quinn will not accept standards that are less than excellent.

The Guardian

Julien Bonnaire Flanker - 7 The quietest of France's fabled back row, but never less than excellent.

The Guardian - Sport

Arguably their player of the autumn tour and rarely less than excellent for his club.

The Guardian - Sport

The writing, never less than excellent, takes many tones throughout the 28 stories, some showy, some not.

The Guardian - Books

However, the music itself is never less than excellent, despite it all clearly being knocked out in about ten minutes.

The Guardian - Music

Similarly smart, bursting with credibility and, yes, a woman, is Cerys Matthews, whose Sunday show is rarely less than excellent.

Independent

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

27 human-written examples

One of the show's most compelling aspects is Norrell's self-loathing, captured brilliantly by the never-less-than-excellent Eddie Marsan.

Independent

Google Hangouts and Skype are both less-than-excellent solutions.

TechCrunch

For some projects, it is worth putting up with less-than-excellent writing for the authors' wonderful ideas on how to approach a particular topic or sometimes, in all honesty, the political clout they may have.

Science Magazine

College graduates seem to react early on to signs of declining health, as the coefficients of the dummies for less-than-excellent health statuses are higher in magnitude than for non-college graduates.

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

Ross's newest album Black Market is due out on December 4. The record follows this summer's street album Black Dollar, as well as last year's excellent Hood Billionaire and aforementioned less-than-excellent Mastermind.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "less than excellent" to politely critique something without being overly harsh. It softens the criticism while still conveying the message that improvement is needed.

Common error

While versatile, "less than excellent" can sound too mild or indirect in professional reports. Opt for stronger, more specific terms like "substandard", "deficient", or "unsatisfactory" for greater impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less than excellent" functions primarily as a qualifier or descriptor, indicating that something does not meet a certain standard of excellence. Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically correct and provides examples of its use in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

37%

Formal & Business

13%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Reference

3%

Academia

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "less than excellent" serves as a versatile tool for expressing a shortfall in quality without resorting to harsh criticism. Grammatically sound, as affirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase finds frequent application across diverse domains like news, science and business. It delicately conveys that improvements are necessary, and its semantic alternatives include "subpar", "inferior", and "unsatisfactory". When employing "less than excellent", writers should balance its mild tone with the need for clarity and directness, tailoring its use to suit the context and desired impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

subpar

Single word adjective that means 'below an accepted standard'.

not up to par

Idiomatic expression which indicates something doesn't meet expectations.

inferior

Direct comparison indicating lower quality or status.

deficient

Highlights the lack of essential qualities.

inadequate

Emphasizes that something isn't sufficient for a specific purpose.

unsatisfactory

Focuses on the failure to meet requirements or needs.

mediocre

Implies average or ordinary quality, lacking distinction.

second-rate

Suggests lower quality compared to others.

poor

Simple and direct term for low quality.

lacking

Emphasizes something is missing or absent.

FAQs

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

You can use "less than excellent" to describe a quality or performance that doesn't meet expectations. For instance, "The service at the restaurant was less than excellent" or "His performance in the exam was less than excellent".

What are some alternatives to "less than excellent"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "subpar", "inferior", "deficient", or "unsatisfactory".

Is "less than excellent" a formal or informal expression?

"Less than excellent" is generally considered a neutral expression, suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, in highly formal or technical writing, more precise terms might be preferred.

How does "less than excellent" compare to "not excellent"?

"Less than excellent" is slightly more nuanced than "not excellent". It implies a deficiency or shortfall from an expected standard, while "not excellent" is a more straightforward negation.