lost less

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lost less" is correct and usable in written English.
It is commonly used in a comparative sense to mean "less lost" or "lost less (than)". For example, you could say: "We lost less money this year than we did last year."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Nissan lost less, for several reasons.

The Economist

Other major gauges lost less.

The New York Times

The detailed figures for online fraud show 14% of victims lost less than £20, 27% lost less than £100 and a further 37% lost less than £500.

The Guardian

It's not like we lost less this time.

The New York Times - Sports

The reverse occurred among those who lost less.

The New York Times - Health

Carrefour shares lost less than 1percentto to 60.0 euros.

The New York Times

In contract, the Pt/SnO2-CNx only lost less than 5% in ORR activity.

Electrochimica Acta

Overall levels of herbivory were low, 84% of the infested plants lost less than 10% of their flowers.

Acta Oecologica

Large kernels lost less relative mass during 1 min of decortication, were higher in protein concentration, and lower in ash.

Food Research International

Had the banks been allowed to call in loans sooner, they might have lost less.

The Economist

In 2005, European shareholders have lost less than American or Japanese investors.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing losses, clearly state what you are comparing "lost less" to. For example, instead of saying "We lost less", say "We lost less money this quarter compared to last quarter".

Common error

Avoid using "lost less" without a clear comparison. Saying "The company lost less" is vague. Instead, provide context: "The company lost less compared to its competitors" or "The company lost less this year than projected."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lost less" functions as a comparative, indicating a smaller degree of loss relative to a previous state, another entity, or a projected amount. Ludwig AI confirms this usage with numerous examples across varied contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

42%

Academia

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "lost less" is a grammatically sound and commonly used comparative, denoting a reduction in the amount lost when compared to a reference point. Ludwig AI supports this with numerous examples, demonstrating its applicability across diverse domains like finance, health, and ecology. Usage is mostly concentrated in News & Media and Scientific sources. When employing this phrase, ensure a clear comparison is present to avoid ambiguity. Related phrases include "experienced a smaller loss" and "incurred fewer losses". In summary, "lost less" serves as an effective means of highlighting reduced losses in a variety of contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

experienced a smaller loss

Focuses on the magnitude of the loss, emphasizing its smaller size.

incurred fewer losses

Emphasizes the number of loss events, highlighting that there were fewer instances of loss.

suffered a reduced loss

Highlights that the loss amount was not as severe.

had a lower deficit

Applicable in contexts where loss relates to a deficit or shortfall.

retained more

Focuses on what was kept rather than what was lost, implying less was lost.

preserved a greater amount

Similar to 'retained more', this highlights the preservation of assets or resources.

conserved more effectively

Highlights the efficiency in preventing loss, often used in resource management.

diminished the impact

Shifts focus from the loss itself to the reduction of its effects.

mitigated the damage

Emphasizes actions taken to lessen the negative consequences of a loss.

minimized the shortfall

Like 'had a lower deficit', this applies when discussing shortfalls or gaps.

FAQs

How do I use "lost less" in a sentence?

Use "lost less" to compare a reduced amount of something lost in one situation to another. For example, "This year, our company "lost less" money than last year".

What's an alternative to saying "lost less"?

You can use alternatives like "experienced a smaller loss", "incurred fewer losses", or "suffered a reduced loss" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "less was lost" instead of "lost less"?

Yes, "less was lost" is grammatically correct and conveys a similar meaning to ""lost less"". The choice depends on the desired emphasis and sentence structure.

In what situations would I use "lost less"?

Use ""lost less"" when comparing quantities of loss, such as comparing financial losses, weight loss, or audience share. It's most effective when you want to highlight the improvement or reduction in the amount lost.