less than ours

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less than ours" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to compare something that is inferior in quality, quantity, or value to what belongs to the speaker or their group. Example: "The budget for this project is less than ours, which is why we need to find additional funding."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

"Bob says the Proms performance of 'Transmigration' costs 20percentt less than ours," Geffen had reported glumly at the April 6 op-com meeting.

The New York Times - Magazine

The answer is that while the universal health care system of every other modern country costs less than ours and, by many measures, provides superior care, Congress is talking about keeping our peculiar system of employer-based insurance and adding on a parallel insurance system.

The New York Times

We assume that the experience of individuals with disabilities is somehow less than ours, or lacking, and as a result we tend not to focus on understanding, participating in, or enriching their experience of the world.

Huffington Post

The prevalence rates of PTSD diagnosed by structured clinical interview in other surveys were also not high [ 22– 24], and one study even reported that it was only 1.1% far less than ours [ 24].

BMC Public Health

The different conclusion might arise from the fact that more spinach FNR up to 1.9 U/ml was used in our assay, whereas much less FNR (0.1 U/ml or 0.04 U/ml, equivalent to less than ours by 19 or 47.5-fold) was used in the literature [ 14, 15].

Biotechnology for Biofuels

Teachers in leading nations' schools also teach much less than ours do.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Peters and colleagues [ 22] reported 30 patients who were generally less sick than ours (less acidotic, less frequently in shock, lower SAPS II, and less frequently ventilated) and in whom mortality was 30% compared with our 50%.

Critical Care

However, their toes were nonetheless longer than those of modern humans, meaning that their mode of locomotion was less efficient than ours because they would have had to have adopted a somewhat high-stepping gait to clear their toes above the ground with each step.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

But I hope to help you know that your pain is normal, socially accepted and even embraced in cultures less frightened than ours, and completely yours.

Huffington Post

But both were closed societies whose conservative decisions were governed by internal political concerns; they were much less responsive than ours to economic and scientific competition and pressure. .

Huffington Post

However, their respective microarray chips contained less probesets than ours and we could not perform the comparison on the whole dataset.

BMC Medical Genomics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "less than ours", ensure the context clearly establishes what "ours" refers to. For instance, specify "our budget", "our team's performance", or "our company's market share" for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "less than ours" without a clear reference point. For example, saying "their product is less than ours" is vague. Specify: "their product's market share is less than ours."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less than ours" functions as a comparative adjective phrase. It is used to describe something by comparing it to a standard or possession of the speaker or a group they belong to, indicating a lower quantity, quality, or degree. Ludwig provides examples from diverse contexts, such as comparing costs, experiences, and efficiency.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

41%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "less than ours" is a comparative phrase used to indicate that something is inferior or smaller in comparison to something belonging to the speaker or a group, as confirmed by Ludwig. Its grammatical function is that of a comparative adjective phrase, used to express a difference or highlight a deficiency. The phrase maintains a neutral register and is commonly found in News & Media and Science. To ensure clarity, specify the reference of "ours" to avoid ambiguity. Ludwig examples illustrate the versatility of this phrase, and the AI's assessment indicates it is grammatically sound and widely used.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not as much as ours

Focuses on quantity and degree of something being smaller.

smaller than ours

Emphasizes size or scale differences.

inferior to ours

Highlights a difference in quality or value.

lower than ours

Indicates a reduced level or position.

not as significant as ours

Stresses reduced importance or impact.

to a lesser extent than ours

Formal way to indicate reduced quantity or degree.

of a smaller magnitude than ours

Emphasizes difference in scale or intensity.

not comparable to ours

Implies a significant difference making direct comparison difficult.

pale in comparison to ours

Suggests something is weak or unimpressive when compared.

dwarfed by ours

Highlights the notable size difference making something look small.

FAQs

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

Use "less than ours" to compare something to what belongs to you or your group, indicating it's smaller, fewer, or inferior. For instance, "Their budget is "smaller than ours", so they can't afford as many resources."

What are some alternatives to "less than ours"?

Alternatives include "not as much as ours", "inferior to ours", or "lower than ours", depending on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

Is it always clear what "ours" refers to when using the phrase "less than ours"?

No, it's crucial to ensure the context makes it obvious who or what "ours" represents. If there's any ambiguity, specify: "less than our company's revenue" rather than just "less than ours".

When is it better to use a more specific comparison instead of "less than ours"?

When you have specific numerical data, using precise comparisons is better. Instead of "their sales are less than ours", use "their sales are 20% lower than ours", if you have that information.