less than few

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less than few" is not considered correct in English; it doesn't make much sense as it implies an amount that is both less than something and more than nothing.
A better phrase to use would be "fewer than" or "less than a few." For example, "I have fewer than five dollars in my pocket."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Less than few minutes, the formation of 3D MLA can be realized by which the polymeric lens material is capable of being cured within dozens of seconds.

Optik - International Journal for Light and Electron Optics

Thus, all human in these areas shall leave the mentioned distances in less than few seconds which seems to be impossible.

Applied Thermal Engineering

Though the particle motions in the water associated with such waves have speed less than few centimeters per second, they affect the entire water column.

Earth, Planets and Space

Photochromic systems based on the opening and closing of [1,3]oxazine ring are among the fastest photochromic switches, completing the full "on-off" cycle in less than few tens of nanoseconds.

Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology A: Chemistry

The list of published peer-reviewed research papers on the topic of light water is scarce (less than few dozens of papers) and almost limited to the effect of deuterium-depletion on living cells [20 22].

Chemistry Central Journal

Graphite particles were not identified in the sintered samples, when these samples were investigated via SEM and TEM, and therefore, graphite is expected to occur as less than few nanometer-sized particles.

Earth, Planets and Space

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

However, most of these studies enrolled relatively few patients and were often less than a few weeks in length.

Core Evidence

Mr. Feiner said: "Very few things happen in government in less than a few months".

The New York Times

However, the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake also caused many smaller landslides with widths of less than a few tens of meters and depths of less than a few meters around the central cones of Aso volcano (Miyabuchi 2016).

Progress in Earth and Planetary Science

Categorize headache as short lasting (less than a few minutes) and long lasting Short-lasting headaches attacks Short lasting headaches of less than a few minutes are highly suggestive of neuralgias.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

"This is less than a few meters from my apartment".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When referring to countable items, always use "fewer than a few" instead of "less than few" for grammatical accuracy.

Common error

Avoid using "less than few" when discussing items that can be counted individually. The correct phrasing is "fewer than a few". For example, it's "fewer than a few apples", not "less than few apples".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less than few" attempts to function as a quantifier, aiming to indicate a quantity smaller than a small amount. However, it is grammatically incorrect because "less" is typically used with uncountable nouns, and 'few' suggests countable nouns. Ludwig AI identifies the phrase as incorrect.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "less than few" is considered grammatically incorrect and its usage is uncommon. It's mainly found in contexts like science and news, though its presence doesn't validate its correctness. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase should be replaced with more grammatically accurate alternatives, such as "fewer than a few" when referring to countable nouns. The expert rating reflects the phrase's grammatical flaws and limited reliable source usage. Always prioritize grammatical accuracy by opting for alternatives such as "not many" or "a small number of".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fewer than a few

Replaces "less" with "fewer" for countable nouns, improving grammatical correctness.

less than several

Substitutes "few" with "several" to indicate a slightly larger, but still small, quantity.

less than a small number

Replaces "few" with "a small number" for increased clarity.

not many

Offers a simpler, more direct way to express a small quantity.

a handful

Uses an idiomatic expression to indicate a small, easily manageable quantity.

hardly any

Emphasizes the scarcity or near absence of something.

scarcely any

Similar to "hardly any", but with a slightly more formal tone.

a limited number

Highlights the restriction or constraint on the quantity.

a trickle

Implies a very small and slow flow or appearance of something.

next to none

Indicates an almost complete absence or lack of something.

FAQs

Is "less than few" grammatically correct?

No, "less than few" is generally considered grammatically incorrect. The correct phrase to use is "fewer than a few" when referring to countable items.

When should I use "fewer than a few" instead of "less than a few"?

Use "fewer than a few" when you are referring to items that can be counted, such as people, objects, or events. "Less than" is typically used for uncountable nouns like water, time, or money.

What are some alternatives to the phrase "less than few"?

You can use alternatives like "fewer than a few", "not many", or "a small number of" depending on the specific context.

How can I improve my sentence using "less than few"?

Replace the phrase "less than few" with a more grammatically sound alternative. For instance, instead of "there were less than few attendees", say "there were "fewer than a few" attendees".