less than five years

USAGE SUMMARY

This phrase is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use this phrase to describe something that has happened or will happen within a certain amount of time. For example: "My car has been in the shop for less than five years."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And all in less than five years.

The Guardian - Sport

Some 77% said it took less than five years.

The Economist

Much of this activity is less than five years old.

The New York Times

I might have far less than five years to live.

The Washington Post

The plane entered service in less than five years.

Harvard Business Review

Ninety-five percent die in less than five years.

The New York Times - Health

Ten million new jobs created in less than five years.

The New Yorker

Your scores must be less than five years old by the time you submit your application.

Harvard University

Studies with less than five years of follow-up were excluded.

Aggression and Violent Behavior

It doubles in less than five years.

Forbes

Yet the souq is less than five years old.  .

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "less than five years", ensure the context clearly indicates what time frame is being referenced. For instance, specify if you're referring to a project's duration, a person's age, or a study's follow-up period.

Common error

Be precise with your time references. Instead of just stating "less than five years", clarify the starting point. For instance, specify "less than five years since the start of the project" to avoid confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less than five years" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or clause, indicating a duration or timeframe. Ludwig examples show its use in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

32%

News & Media

45%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "less than five years" is a versatile and commonly used expression to indicate a period of time shorter than five years. Ludwig AI identifies it as grammatically correct and frequently employed across various contexts, including news, science, and academia. When using this phrase, ensure clarity by specifying the reference point or event the timeframe applies to. Related phrases such as ""under five years"" and "within a five-year period" offer alternative ways to express similar ideas, and are linked in the FAQ section.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

under five years

This alternative is a more concise way of expressing the same time frame.

in under five years

This alternative emphasizes the speed or efficiency with which something occurs.

shorter than five years

This alternative emphasizes the comparison with a five year duration, highlighting it as a benchmark.

within a five-year period

This alternative focuses on the existence of a period and indicates that something occurs inside this period.

sooner than five years

This alternative emphasizes earliness with respect to five years.

within five years

This alternative indicates an accomplishment within a certain timeframe, even if shorter.

not exceeding five years

This alternative is more formal and emphasizes the maximum limit of the time frame.

before five years have passed

This is a more descriptive way of stating that something happens before a five year benchmark.

in a shorter time than five years

This phrasing places explicit emphasis on comparison with a benchmark of five years.

prior to five years

This alternative denotes something which has existed or occurred before a period of five years.

FAQs

How can I use "less than five years" in a sentence?

You can use "less than five years" to describe a duration or period. For example, "The project was completed in "under five years"" or "The warranty is valid for "under five years"".

What are some alternatives to "less than five years"?

Alternatives include ""under five years"", "within a five-year period", or "in under five years", depending on the specific context.

Is it more appropriate to say "less than five years" or "fewer than five years"?

Both "less than five years" and "fewer than five years" are generally acceptable. "Less than" is often used for periods of time, while "fewer than" is typically used for countable nouns. In this case, "years" is countable, but the phrase is referring to a period of time, so "less than" is frequently used and accepted.

Can "less than five years" be used to describe both past and future events?

Yes, "less than five years" can be used to describe events in the past, present, or future. For example: "The company was founded "under five years" ago" (past), "The product is expected to launch in "under five years"" (future).