much fewer than

USAGE SUMMARY

"much fewer than" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it when you are comparing two things. For example, "There are much fewer members in the club this year than last year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

And then, of course, there are the spectators; not much fewer than a million of them.

Independent

Companies added only 83,000 jobs in June, much fewer than the 200,000 new jobs needed each month to bring down the unemployment rate.

The New York Times

But a handful of people, much fewer than a thousand, could pinpoint it so that it would drop to van Persie's favored left foot.

The New York Times - Sports

Currently, most L.P.G.A. events in Asia feature fields of 75 to 80 players — much fewer than a full field of 144 — and players now travel as a group from country to country.

The New York Times - Sports

Looking back, I visited just a handful of sites, much fewer than the average of 21 visits, but still far more than the promise of a one-stop shop.

The New York Times - Travel

By this method, the management messages needed are much fewer than per connection basis.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

However, investigations into SMS waves in the magnetosphere are much fewer than those devoted to the Alfven resonance.

Earth, Planets and Space

There are R D2 free parameters in MLLR, which are much fewer than those of the MAP method.

EURASIP Journal on Audio, Speech, and Music Processing

However, what we're told from recent figures is that the number of civilians there is much fewer than thought.

BBC

It can be observed that Algorithm 1 is called by ASNSSS at most 24 times which is much fewer than invocations performed by exhaustive search and also ESNSSS.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

In the Strepsiptera, Xenos peckii, for example, there are only about 50 lenses, much fewer than the over 700 facets of the slightly smaller fruit fly D. melanogaster.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing quantities, ensure the context makes it clear what two things are being compared using "much fewer than".

Common error

Avoid using "much fewer than" if the comparison is not quantitative. This phrase is specifically used to compare numerical values or countable items.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "much fewer than" functions as a comparative quantifier, indicating a significant difference in numerical value or countable items. Ludwig AI affirms the phrase's correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

64%

News & Media

32%

Formal & Business

4%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "much fewer than" is a grammatically sound and frequently used comparative expression. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage. It serves to emphasize a substantial difference in quantity between two things, commonly appearing in science, news, and formal contexts. When using this phrase, ensure the comparison is quantitative and clearly defined to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significantly less than

Emphasizes a considerable difference in quantity.

considerably smaller than

Highlights a notable difference in size or amount.

substantially reduced compared to

Focuses on the act of reduction and the extent of it.

markedly diminished relative to

Implies a clear and noticeable decrease in comparison.

a great deal less than

A more emphatic way to describe a large difference.

appreciably lower than

Suggests a difference that is easily perceived or measured.

noticeably fewer than

Highlights that the difference is easily observable.

palpably less than

Indicates a difference that is easily recognized.

far tinier than

Highlights a large difference in size.

measurably less than

Implies that the difference is quantifiable.

FAQs

How can I use "much fewer than" in a sentence?

Use "much fewer than" to compare the quantity of two things, indicating that one has a significantly smaller number than the other. For example, "There were "much fewer than" 100 attendees at the meeting".

What are some alternatives to "much fewer than"?

Alternatives include "significantly less than", "considerably smaller than", or "substantially reduced compared to". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "many fewer than" instead of "much fewer than"?

While "many fewer than" is grammatically correct, "much fewer than" is more common and generally preferred when comparing quantities. However, both convey a similar meaning of one quantity being considerably less than another.

What's the difference between "fewer than" and "much fewer than"?

"Fewer than" simply indicates a smaller quantity, while "much fewer than" emphasizes a substantial difference in quantity. The latter is used to highlight a significant disparity.