moderately less than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "moderately less than" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing quantities or values that are somewhat lower than a reference point, indicating a moderate degree of difference. Example: "The new model is moderately less than the previous version in terms of energy consumption."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

"But it will likely be moderately less than we anticipated due to the crowded tentpole schedule this summer and the delay of certain film licensing deals into next fiscal year".

The New York Times

The results showed that when lake width was within the Close View range with only trees on the other side of the lake, a lake landscape with the heights of buildings' visible part moderately less than average height of the trees contour was preferred over rigidly restricting that all buildings be barely visible.

Environmental Impact Assessment Review

Female MKR+/+mice are non-obese and weigh moderately less than control mice.

Breast Cancer Research

These findings are in line with the predictions of modeling studies, as well as the results of the present report, which indicate that the binding affinity and in vitro activity of bevacizumab are moderately less than those of ranibizumab.

Angiogenesis

Accumulation of ROS in strains lacking xprG was moderately less than that of the wild-type strain, whereas the gain-of-function xprG1 strain demonstrated ROS levels comparable to the ΔatmA strain.

G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics

These observations were further validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) that clearly shows SA1 infection induced drastic (five-fold and above) overexpression of a set of proinflammatory genes, whereas SA2 infection moderately (less than five-fold) altered the gene expression.

Clinical Epigenetics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

SWCNTs are found to be only moderately less stable than graphite, and are significantly more stable than their fullerene counterparts.

Carbon

Barbra Streisand sang a nice version of "Evergreen" that was only moderately less sexy than Drake and Rihanna's duet on "What's My Name".

The New Yorker

To hold us over, the announcement was accompanied by a photo only moderately less salacious than the previous one.

Huffington Post

However, the bivalently marked genes were rather active and only moderately less expressed than H3K4me3 only marked genes in both EP156T and PC3 cells (Figure 3A).

Plosone

In contrast, we found that bivalent H3K4&K27me3 marked genes were rather active and only moderately less expressed than H3K4me3 only marked genes in both EP156T and PC3 cells.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

For scientific writing, quantify the difference when possible. For instance, instead of "The concentration was moderately less than the control", specify "The concentration was 15% less than the control".

Common error

While "moderately less than" is acceptable, overuse can make writing monotonous. Vary your language by using synonyms like "somewhat lower" or "slightly below" to maintain reader engagement and precision.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "moderately less than" functions as a comparative adjective phrase. It quantifies the degree to which one thing is smaller or lower than another, indicating a difference that is noticeable but not extreme. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "moderately less than" is a grammatically sound phrase used to express a comparison where one quantity is somewhat smaller than another. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness. It is commonly found in scientific and journalistic contexts, indicating a noticeable but not drastic difference. While acceptable for formal writing, varying your vocabulary with synonyms like "somewhat lower" or "slightly below" can improve the flow and readability of your text. By understanding its nuances and appropriate contexts, you can effectively use "moderately less than" to communicate precise comparisons.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

somewhat less than

Indicates a slightly smaller degree of difference, emphasizing a marginal contrast.

slightly less than

Highlights a minimal difference, suggesting a negligible distinction.

marginally less than

Focuses on an almost imperceptible difference, emphasizing a very small contrast.

noticeably less than

Emphasizes that the difference, while not extreme, is still able to be noticed.

appreciably less than

Suggests that the difference is significant enough to be worth noting.

considerably less than

Implies a more substantial difference compared to "moderately less than".

relatively less than

Indicates that the difference is dependent on the specific context or point of comparison.

measurably less than

Highlights that the difference can be quantified or measured in some way.

a bit less than

An informal way to describe the difference.

fractionally less than

Emphasizes that a very small part constitutes the difference.

FAQs

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

The phrase "moderately less than" is used to compare two quantities where one is a bit smaller than the other. For example, "The cost of the generic drug is moderately less than the brand-name version."

What can I say instead of "moderately less than"?

You can use alternatives like "somewhat less than", "slightly less than", or "appreciably less than" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "moderately less than" in formal writing?

Yes, "moderately less than" is generally appropriate in formal writing. However, ensure the level of formality aligns with the overall tone of the document and consider more precise language if available.

What's the difference between "moderately less than" and "slightly less than"?

"Moderately less than" suggests a more noticeable difference compared to "slightly less than". The choice depends on the magnitude of the difference you want to convey.