lost fewer

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lost fewer" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing the number of losses in two different scenarios, indicating that one scenario had a smaller number of losses than another. Example: "In the last quarter, our team lost fewer games than we did in the previous quarter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Not since 2000 has Florida State lost fewer than three games.

The New York Times - Sports

Hospitals that have adopted these methods have lost fewer patients to complications caused by bacterial infections.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Only the top three have lost fewer games in Serie A.

The Guardian - Sport

Since Sept. 11, he says, it has lost fewer passengers than many other carriers.

The New York Times

Of the roughly 1,800 Maytag jobs lost, fewer than one-third have been replaced.

The New York Times

The brains of those from the infected batch had lost fewer neural cells and boasted more anti-inflammatory molecules.

The Economist

Spiegel now leads the newsweekly pack, selling 1m copies and having lost fewer readers than either Focus or Stern.

The Economist

England, put into bat, would have preferred more runs, or at least to have lost fewer wickets.

Independent

Partly because of favorable district lines, Democrats there lost fewer seats than their colleagues in other states in 2010.

The New York Times

Smallpox claimed the lives of tens of thousands of French soldiers, yet the Prussians lost fewer than five hundred men.

The New Yorker

THE NEWS The American economy lost fewer jobs in April than economists expected, with payrolls shrinking by 539,000.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "lost fewer" to clearly indicate a comparative reduction in losses when comparing two or more entities or time periods. Ensure the context makes it clear what is being compared.

Common error

Avoid using "lost fewer" without a clear point of comparison. It's crucial to specify what is being compared to avoid ambiguity. For instance, instead of just saying "The company lost fewer", specify "The company lost fewer employees this year compared to last year."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lost fewer" functions as a comparative expression, indicating a reduction in the number of countable items that were lost. Ludwig examples confirm its use in comparing losses across different scenarios.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

24%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "lost fewer" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to indicate a comparative reduction in the number of countable items lost. Ludwig AI confirms that it's commonly employed in News & Media, Science, and Encyclopedias. When using "lost fewer", ensure a clear comparison to avoid ambiguity and choose it over "lost less" when referring to countable items. Alternatives include "suffered fewer losses" or "experienced fewer defeats". The phrase is considered neutral in register, making it appropriate for a wide range of contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

suffered fewer losses

Replaces "lost" with "suffered", emphasizing the negative impact of the losses.

experienced fewer defeats

Substitutes "lost" with "experienced" and "fewer" with "defeats", often used in competitive contexts.

incurred fewer casualties

Replaces "lost" with "incurred" and "fewer" with "casualties", emphasizing the negative impact in a military or disaster context.

sustained fewer damages

Uses "sustained" in place of "lost" and "damages" instead of "losses", typically used regarding physical damage.

had a lower attrition rate

Replaces the entire phrase with a more formal term for the rate of decline or loss.

diminished less

Emphasizes the reduced amount of decline rather than outright loss.

saw a smaller reduction

Focuses on the comparative size of the reduction, implying a less severe decrease.

declined by a smaller amount

Highlights the reduced quantity of the decline.

reduced their deficit

Implies a reduction of negative losses.

avoided further detriments

Emphasizes the avoidance of harmful losses or damages, highlighting prevention.

FAQs

How can I use "lost fewer" in a sentence?

You can use "lost fewer" to compare the number of losses between two entities or periods. For example, "Our team "lost fewer" games this season than last season" or "This hospital "lost fewer" patients to infection after implementing the new protocols".

What are some alternatives to "lost fewer"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "suffered fewer losses", "experienced fewer defeats", or "incurred fewer casualties".

Is it grammatically correct to say "lost fewer"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct. "Fewer" is used with countable nouns (like games, jobs, or patients), making ""lost fewer"" the appropriate choice over "lost less", which is used with uncountable nouns.

What is the difference between "lost fewer" and "lost less"?

"Lost fewer" is used when referring to countable items, such as "lost fewer games". "Lost less" is used when referring to uncountable quantities, such as "lost less money". Using the correct term ensures grammatical accuracy.