less than required

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "less than required" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a certain amount or level is insufficient compared to what is needed or expected. Example: "The resources allocated for the project were less than required, leading to delays in completion."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

33 human-written examples

The vote was 244 to 173, more than 30 votes less than required.

The New York Times

Morgan Stanley, the No.2 firm, will pay $140,000 because it had $455 million less than required as collateral for loans.

The New York Times

In May Porsche was forced to abandon an attempt to win control of VW, leaving it with a stake of nearly 51% – less than required for full control under German law – and heavily indebted.

The Guardian - Business

So far Iran has produced only about 100 kilograms of 20-percent-enriched uranium — less than required to produce a single nuclear weapon — but it has announced plans to increase production sharply in coming months.

The New York Times

However, previous studies indicated that the concentration of osteoprogenitors present in BMA is less than required for robust bone regeneration.

Cytotherapy

Additionally, the current scale of fuel treatment is far less than required to achieve landscape resilience (North et al. 2012).

Forest Ecosystems

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

24 human-written examples

It was found that all treatments applied less irrigation than required for all seasons.

Agricultural Water Management

On the other hand, using less power than required will lead to underfitting (Hastie et al. 2009).

International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials

Importantly, the time required for purification was much less than that required using a commercial kit.

Plosone

We can find that the CPU time required in our method is much less than that required in the BEM.

Advances in Difference Equations

Pharmacological evaluation has shown that 1 possesses potent cardioprotective effect against hypoxia-induced neonatal rat ventricular myocytes damage at lower molar concentration (10-fold less than leonurine required and 100-fold less than SPRC required).

Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry Letters

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "less than required", ensure the context clearly defines what the requirement is. This provides clarity and prevents ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "less than required" without specifying the exact standard or quantity needed. For example, instead of saying "the funding was less than required", specify "the funding was less than the required $1 million needed for the project."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "less than required" functions as a modifier, indicating that a particular quantity, amount, or degree is insufficient to meet a specific need or standard. Ludwig examples show it used across various contexts to express inadequacy.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

35%

News & Media

32%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "less than required" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to denote insufficiency or deficiency. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. It appears frequently in scientific, news media, and business contexts. To ensure clarity, it's crucial to specify what the requirement is when using this phrase. Alternatives like "insufficient" or "inadequate" can be used, but "less than required" explicitly highlights the unmet requirement.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

below the required amount

Emphasizes the quantity or level being under the necessary threshold.

insufficient quantity

Focuses on the lack of adequate amount to meet a specific need.

lacking the necessary amount

Highlights the absence of the required quantity or level.

under the stipulated level

Indicates that the quantity or amount is below the expected or agreed-upon standard.

short of what's needed

Expresses the lack of adequate quantity or amount to achieve a goal.

not up to par

Indicates a deficiency in comparison to a standard or expectation.

falling short of the requirement

Emphasizes the failure to meet a specific standard or requirement.

substandard amount

Highlights the poor quality of the existing amount compared to an expected standard.

deficient in quantity

Focuses on the inadequacy or insufficiency of a specific amount.

not meeting the criteria

Indicates a failure to satisfy a certain set of standards or conditions.

FAQs

How do I use "less than required" in a sentence?

Use "less than required" to indicate that something is insufficient or deficient compared to a specific need or standard. For instance, "The budget allocated was "less than required" to complete the project successfully".

What can I say instead of "less than required"?

You can use alternatives like "insufficient", "inadequate", or "below the required amount" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "less than required"?

Yes, "less than required" is grammatically correct and commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to express a deficiency.

What is the difference between "less than required" and "less than necessary"?

While both phrases indicate insufficiency, "less than required" often refers to a specific, predetermined requirement, whereas "less than necessary" suggests a more general lack of what is needed.