mildly less than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "mildly less than" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a quantity or degree that is slightly below a certain level or amount. Example: "The temperature today is mildly less than what we experienced last week."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Rats fed a high-fat diet supplemented with BCAAs spontaneously ate less food and weighed mildly less than rats fed a normal high-fat diet, but rats on both diets were equally insulin-resistant.

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Such variety of attitudes and habits proves mildly less interesting than the history of the technology itself, because the former amounts to very little in the end.

The Guardian - Books

"It's mildly less offensive than talking about vacuum cleaners, but when the voters hear that, they hear someone commanding them how to vote".

The Guardian

But a few feet away from Balsade stood three Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives, who were regaling reporters with descriptions of Gingrich that were only mildly less flattering than Balsade's.

The New Yorker

Salman Rushdie's new children's novel arrives under circumstances that are, to put it mildly, less anxious than those that surrounded his first, "Haroun and the Sea of Stories" (1990).

The New York Times - Books

Has she not learnt that any attempt to use parliamentary instruments to stop people having sex has mildly less chance of success than a law against rain?

The Guardian - Opinion

But the above topics are worn thin, dried out, and only mildly less entertaining to read about than tech bloggers getting into spats with each other.

TechCrunch

However, SUTs were mildly less prone to nuclear turnover than were CUTs, and their RNP composition overlapped with that of mRNAs, suggesting that some SUTs might function as stable transcripts.

Cell

Their future is, to put it mildly, less certain.

The New York Times

Less Than Jake.

WikiHow

Britain then, alongside its European counterparts who have also, to put it mildly, done less than their best, has contributed to the killing of these migrants.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "mildly less than" when you want to indicate a slight difference or degree of inferiority without exaggeration. It's suitable for formal and informal contexts where precision isn't crucial.

Common error

Avoid using "mildly less than" when the difference is significant or substantial. Choose a stronger comparative phrase like "considerably less than" or "significantly smaller than" to accurately reflect the magnitude of the difference.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mildly less than" functions as a comparative modifier, indicating that something is slightly smaller, weaker, or inferior to something else. Ludwig shows examples where it quantifies differences. In the provided example, it specifies a slight reduction in weight.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "mildly less than" is a comparative phrase used to express a slight difference or degree of inferiority. As Ludwig AI highlights, this phrase is grammatically correct and suitable for both formal and informal contexts where precision is not paramount. It's particularly useful in scientific, news, and formal communications. While alternatives like "slightly smaller than" or "somewhat below" exist, "mildly less than" provides a nuanced and precise way to describe small variances without exaggeration. Remember to avoid using it when the difference is substantial, opting for stronger comparative phrases instead.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

minimally less than

Emphasizes that the difference is minimal.

slightly smaller than

Replaces "mildly less" with "slightly smaller", focusing on size.

fractionally smaller than

Replaces "mildly less" with "fractionally smaller", focusing on a very small difference in size.

marginally inferior to

Substitutes "mildly less" with "marginally inferior", indicating a slight decrease in quality or status.

barely less than

Emphasizes the small margin by using "barely".

somewhat below

Replaces the entire phrase with a more general description of being slightly under a certain level.

a bit lower than

Uses simpler language to convey the same meaning of a small difference.

hardly as much as

Indicates that something is only just below the compared level.

not quite as much as

Emphasizes the difference in quantity, suggesting it's just under the reference point.

a shade under

Uses a more figurative language to convey the idea of a small difference.

FAQs

How can I use "mildly less than" in a sentence?

Use "mildly less than" to indicate a slight difference in quantity, quality, or degree. For instance, "The discomfort was "mildly less than" I expected" suggests the discomfort wasn't as severe as anticipated.

What are some alternatives to "mildly less than"?

You can use alternatives like "slightly smaller than", "somewhat below", or "a bit lower than" depending on the context.

Is "mildly less than" suitable for formal writing?

Yes, "mildly less than" is suitable for formal writing, but consider alternatives like "marginally inferior to" for a more sophisticated tone in certain contexts.

What's the difference between "mildly less than" and "significantly less than"?

"Mildly less than" indicates a small difference, whereas "significantly less than" suggests a substantial or notable difference. Choose the phrase that accurately reflects the magnitude of the difference you're describing.