lesser proportion of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lesser proportion of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing quantities or amounts, indicating that one quantity is smaller than another in relation to a whole. Example: "In the survey, a lesser proportion of respondents preferred option A over option B."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

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

Studies were predominantly within-group designs, with a lesser proportion of case studies/series, between-group and randomised controlled trials.

Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science

Overall, lesser proportion of the indigenous (11.2 %) than the non-indigenous (34.1 %) ethno-culture groups reported one or more of the five reasons for their low level of dependence on wild foods.

Forest Ecosystems

After 120 h of incubation, maximum percentage of apoptotic cells (12%) was found in the sub-G1 phase, which resulted in lesser proportion of G1/S (57%) blocking as compared with 48 h of incubation, whereas native etoposide showed comparatively lower apoptotic cells (9%) and G1/S blocking (46%).

Cancer Nanotechnology

The actual equilibrium values depend on the value of e: As e grows, a lesser proportion of mutants remains infected in the subsequent equilibrium.

Plosone

After induction of differentiation, while neurons with elongated neurites extended noticeably from the periphery of the spheres in control and in CM-BV2(C) treated, lesser proportion of differentiating cells was observed in CM from BV2 JEV) treated neurospheres.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

Low-latitude auroras are predominantly red (66%, 835 events) with lesser proportions of white (20%, 253 events) and black auroras (6%, 67 events).

Advances in Space Research

Today, the subalpine forest of Queyras is composed primarily of larch, with lesser proportions of stone pine, mountain pine and fir.

Quaternary International

The rodingitized slate adjacent to the blackwall is cut by numerous veins that contain fluid inclusion-rich orange grossular and clinopyroxene crystals measuring up to 5 mm in diameter, and lesser proportions of space-filling prehnite practically devoid of fluid inclusions.

Geochemical Transactions

Approximately 50% of the identifications were of green algae, with lesser proportions of diatoms, red algae, cyanobacteria, xanthophytes and euglenoids.

BMC Ecology

Higher levels of frailty among men were associated with greater proportions of death with 30 or more bedridden days and with lesser proportions of death with fewer than 30 bedridden days for every age group.

British Medical Journal

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing groups, ensure the comparison is clear by specifying what the "lesser proportion" is being compared to. For example, "A lesser proportion of students chose history compared to math."

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by always explicitly stating the total from which the "lesser proportion" is derived. Without this, the statement can be misleading or unclear. For example, instead of "There's a lesser proportion of errors", specify "There's a lesser proportion of errors in this dataset compared to the previous one."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lesser proportion of" functions as a modifier expressing a smaller quantity or degree relative to a whole. It's typically followed by a noun, as seen in Ludwig's examples, such as "lesser proportion of mutants" or "lesser proportion of patients."

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

16%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "lesser proportion of" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression to indicate a smaller quantity or amount relative to a whole. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is common in scientific, news, and business contexts. When using the phrase, clarity is key: always specify the basis for comparison to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives such as "smaller share of", "reduced amount of", and "lower percentage of" can provide stylistic variation while maintaining similar meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

smaller share of

Emphasizes a reduced portion in relation to a whole, differing in word choice but maintaining similar meaning.

reduced amount of

Focuses on the decreased quantity, swapping 'proportion' for 'amount' to highlight the measurable reduction.

lower percentage of

Uses 'percentage' to specify a relative quantity, which offers a more direct numerical comparison.

smaller quantity of

Highlights the diminished amount, replacing 'proportion' with 'quantity' to emphasize the measurable size.

decreased fraction of

Emphasizes the reduced part of a whole, substituting 'proportion' with 'fraction' to focus on the fractional decrease.

lesser quantity of

Uses 'quantity' instead of 'proportion', focusing on the amount rather than the relative part.

reduced incidence of

Focuses on the frequency of occurrence, applicable when discussing events or cases that are less frequent.

diminished presence of

Emphasizes a reduced existence or visibility, suitable when describing something that is less apparent or prevalent.

smaller measure of

Focuses on the reduced extent or degree, using 'measure' to indicate a quantifiable amount.

lower incidence of

Emphasizes a reduced frequency or occurrence, suitable for describing events or cases that happen less often.

FAQs

How can I use "lesser proportion of" in a sentence?

You can use "lesser proportion of" to compare quantities or amounts, indicating that one quantity is smaller than another in relation to a whole. For example, "A "smaller share of" respondents preferred option A over option B."

What phrases are similar to "lesser proportion of"?

Similar phrases include "smaller share of", "reduced amount of", or "lower percentage of". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "lesser proportion of"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is usable in written English and provides examples from reliable sources.

When should I use "lesser proportion of" instead of "smaller proportion of"?

While both are acceptable, "lesser proportion of" might be preferred when emphasizing a slightly more formal or analytical tone, whereas "smaller proportion of" is generally more common in everyday language.