lower in number

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "lower in number" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing quantities or amounts, indicating that one group has fewer items than another. Example: "The number of participants this year is lower in number compared to last year's event."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

"The megadeals of the last years are getting lower in number and smaller in size, but customers are still spending".

The New York Times

In the Nx-MP group, both Bax and Bcl-2 protein staining was much less frequent, and TUNEL-positive cells were lower in number compared with the intact-MP group.

Bone

Within the following months, phreatic events were accompanied by thermal detections that were lower in number and intensity.

Earth, Planets and Space

And second, there are still some H s underestimations, but they are lower in number than for the standard method and not predominant because the mean error of the H s estimate is close to 0 m. Figure 9 Scatter plots of the H s measured by the buoy and estimated by the standard method or proposed MLP-based estimators for the training and validation data sets of the Ekofisk database.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Crossings are typically lower in number in the European winter because the sea is more dangerous, so the number of migrants crossing from Libya is expected to increase sharply in coming months.

Los Angeles Times

Histological analysis of mutants on post-natal day 1 (P1) shows the normal number of spinal and brainstem motor neurons, but by P3 P5, motor neuron cell bodies in the spinal cord are 20 30% lower in number in the mutants than in age-matched controls, and many of the remaining neurons appear apoptotic.

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

For one thing, the Asians are lower in numbers here because of SARS.

The New York Times

The C for season 1 produced the highest numbers while season 2 showed a preference for both BS and M. Fungal-feeding nematodes at different sampling times were, on average, lower in numbers relative to the BF.

International Journal of Recycling of Organic Waste in Agriculture

The bulk of foreign terrorist attacks in the United States, which are much lower in numbers than in countries closer to conflict zones, are blowback from the United States' self-appointed role as world policeman, which thus has little to do with national security and much to do with actually undermining it.

HuffPost

In contrast, the CFU in the lungs of mice co-treated with INH plus CC-3052 contonued to be cleared and at 84 days were significantly lower in numbers than those in mice treated with INH alone (P = 0.016).

Plosone

Treatment with retinoic acid (RA) prevented colony formation and induced collapse of preformed colonies as Y-27632 but RA treated cells underwent cell death and therefore were lower in numbers than Y-27632-treated cells (Fig. 2A-C).

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "lower in number", ensure you're comparing two distinct quantities or groups to provide context for the reduction.

Common error

Avoid using "lower in number" without clearly establishing what is being compared. For example, instead of saying "The sales were lower in number", specify "The sales this quarter were lower in number compared to the previous quarter."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lower in number" functions as a comparative adjective phrase. It's used to describe something that is reduced in quantity or amount compared to something else. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

37%

Wiki

6%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "lower in number" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to express that a quantity is less than another. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. It finds applications across diverse fields like science and news, maintaining a neutral tone suitable for various contexts. When employing this phrase, clarity is key: ensure a clear comparison is established to avoid ambiguity. For enhanced writing, consider synonyms like "fewer in amount" or "reduced in quantity" to add nuance. By understanding its function, purpose, and alternatives, you can wield "lower in number" with precision and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fewer in amount

Emphasizes that there are not as many of something.

reduced in quantity

Focuses on the decrease in the amount or extent of something.

less abundant

Suggests a decline in availability or prevalence.

decreased in volume

Highlights a reduction in size or capacity.

diminished in count

Highlights a reduction in the number of items.

dwindling in size

Focuses on the progressive reduction in dimensions or magnitude.

smaller in sum

Focuses on the overall total being less.

reduced in frequency

Implies that something occurs less often.

declined in presence

Highlights a reduction in existence or visibility.

thinner on the ground

An idiomatic expression suggesting scarcity or reduced presence.

FAQs

How can I use "lower in number" in a sentence?

You can use "lower in number" to compare two quantities, indicating that one is less than the other. For example: "The applications received this year were "fewer in number" compared to last year."

What's a good alternative to "lower in number"?

Alternatives to "lower in number" include "reduced in quantity", "less abundant", or simply "fewer", depending on the context.

Is it more formal to say "lower in number" or "less in number"?

"Lower in number" and "less in number" are both acceptable, but using "fewer" is often more concise and grammatically preferred when referring to countable items.

Which is correct: "lower in number" or "smaller in number"?

Both "lower in number" and "smaller in number" can be correct, but they have slightly different connotations. "Lower" implies a quantitative decrease, while "smaller" can refer to physical size or quantity.