lesser percentage

USAGE SUMMARY

"lesser percentage" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a smaller amount than a previous one. For example, "The number of visitors in the museum decreased by a lesser percentage than expected."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

37 human-written examples

Payment agencies may request that the Secretary exempt 100% of each payment in a payment class or that the Secretary exempt a specific lesser percentage.

Cornell University

At the time, women comprised about seventy-two per cent of the sales workforce and just a third of management — and an even lesser percentage of upper management.

The New Yorker

At the time, women comprised about seventy-two per cent of the sales workforce and just a third of management and an even lesser percentage of upper management.

The New Yorker

The lesser percentage of pregnancies obtained when yearling rams are used may be explained by differences in mounting behaviors and ejaculation frequency.

Animal Reproduction Science

"What justifiable reason is there for the mega rich paying a lesser percentage of wages and earnings than the middle class?" wrote Linda Mussaw.

The New York Times

And when students of color are still in smaller proportion than are people of color in the population, or women are a lesser percentage of dentists and engineers, or men a lesser proportion of physical therapists and nutritionists, that's politics.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

23 human-written examples

Humic substances, building blocks, and light organic substances were removed at lesser percentages.

Desalination

Lesser percentages reported more energy, better sleep, improvements in their cholesterol levels or blood pressure and other advances.

The New York Times

Average sale prices also increased but by lesser percentages than the median prices, suggesting that price appreciation was uniform across all price categories and not driven solely by a concentration of activity in the high-end market.

The New York Times

The "fittest" in this case are the Caucasians (slightly more than 26% of the population), the Japanese (slightly more than 23%), and the Chinese (5%), while those on the lower rungs of the economic ladder are those of part-Hawaiian descent (19%, with less than 1% pure Hawaiian), the Filipinos (11%), and lesser percentages of blacks and ethnic Koreans, Puerto Ricans, and Samoans.

The New Yorker

Europe follows...at lesser percentages but the same.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing two values, use "lesser percentage" to clearly indicate that one is smaller relative to the whole. For instance, "A lesser percentage of students chose the online option this year."

Common error

Avoid using "lesser" when referring to countable items. "Lesser" is for quantities that can't be counted individually, while "fewer" is for countable items. Instead of "a lesser number of students", use "fewer students".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lesser percentage" functions as a quantifier, specifying a smaller proportion of a whole. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is correct and usable in written English. Examples from Ludwig show its application in describing statistical differences and comparative quantities.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

44%

News & Media

39%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "lesser percentage" is a grammatically sound and frequently used term for indicating a smaller proportion, as affirmed by Ludwig AI. Predominantly found in scientific and news contexts, it serves to quantitatively compare proportions with precision. While interchangeable with alternatives such as "smaller proportion" or "lower fraction", it's crucial to distinguish it from "fewer" when referring to countable items. Effective use involves ensuring clarity in comparisons and avoiding confusion with similar terms to maintain accuracy in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

smaller proportion

Focuses on the comparative size rather than the numerical value.

lower fraction

Uses "fraction" to emphasize the part-to-whole relationship.

reduced rate

Implies a decrease in a ratio or proportion over time or in comparison.

decreased share

Highlights the diminishing portion of a whole.

minimal amount

Emphasizes the insignificance of the quantity.

slighter quantity

Stresses the smallness in terms of volume or count.

diminished segment

Highlights the reduced section of a larger entity.

inferior ratio

Indicates a less favorable comparison between two quantities.

less significant part

Downplays the importance of the portion in question.

reduced incidence

Focuses on the declining frequency of occurrence.

FAQs

How can I use "lesser percentage" in a sentence?

Use "lesser percentage" to show a smaller proportion compared to something else. For example, "A "lesser percentage" of applicants were accepted this year compared to last year".

What's a good alternative to "lesser percentage"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "smaller proportion", "lower fraction", or "decreased share".

Is it correct to say "less percentage" instead of "lesser percentage"?

While "less percentage" might be understood, ""lesser percentage"" is more grammatically formal and widely accepted in standard English.

In what contexts is "lesser percentage" most appropriate?

"Lesser percentage" is suitable in formal writing and when discussing statistics, reports, or any situation where precise proportions are important.