much rarer than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "much rarer than" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to compare two nouns or phrases and indicate that one is of a much smaller, lesser degree than the other. For example: "This type of coin is much rarer than the other more common coins from this era."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This sort of family success is much rarer than siblings winning in tandem.

The Guardian - Sport

I would conjecture that such emergencies would be much rarer than most might predict.

Harvard Business Review

Before that I spot black grouse, much rarer than their red cousins.

Independent

But he added: "It is exceedingly rare, and much rarer than many allege".

The Guardian

Technically brilliant mimicking of this standard is much rarer than run-of-the-mill good acting.

The Guardian - Film

Brennan says civilian deaths "are exceedingly rare, and much rarer than many allege".

The Guardian

It is exceedingly rare, and much, much rarer than many allege".

The Guardian

Talent can provide huge dividends, but it's much rarer than we think.

The New Yorker

So much rarer than one who knows the ropes.' He didn't say, I was lonely growing up.

The Guardian - Books

Iridium is much rarer than gold on Earth, yet in the K-T boundary clay iridium is usually twice as abundant as gold, sometimes more than that.

University of California, Berkeley

In countries that can afford routine DTI screening, so-called "reading difficulties" should then become much rarer than they are now.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing the rarity of two things, ensure that the categories or groups being compared are clearly defined to avoid ambiguity. For example, specify "Classical music concerts are "much rarer than" pop concerts in rural areas."

Common error

Avoid making broad generalizations about rarity without specifying the context. Stating that "unicorns are "much rarer than" horses" is technically correct but lacks practical relevance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "much rarer than" functions as a comparative adjective phrase. It is used to emphasize a significant difference in the infrequency or scarcity of one thing compared to another. Ludwig AI confirms this is a correct expression.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

34%

Science

31%

Academia

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "much rarer than" is a grammatically sound and commonly used comparative phrase. According to Ludwig AI, it serves to emphasize a significant difference in the infrequency or scarcity of one thing compared to another. Analysis of numerous examples reveals that the expression is used across various contexts, with a notable prevalence in news, scientific, and academic domains. When using this phrase, ensure that the scope of comparison is clearly defined and that generalizations are avoided. Alternatives like "considerably less frequent than" can be used to add nuance. Overall, the phrase is versatile and effective for highlighting relative infrequency in a wide array of writing scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

considerably less frequent than

Replaces "rarer" with "less frequent" and "much" with "considerably", indicating a notable difference in frequency.

significantly less common than

Substitutes "rarer" with "less common" and "much" with "significantly", suggesting a statistically important difference.

far more unusual than

Replaces "rarer" with "unusual" and "much" with "far", emphasizing the atypical nature of something.

distinctly less prevalent than

Replaces "rarer" with "less prevalent" and "much" with "distinctly", indicating a clear difference in occurrence.

substantially less often than

Focuses on frequency with "less often" and uses "substantially" to convey a considerable difference.

markedly less typical than

Highlights typicality, indicating something deviates noticeably from the norm using "markedly".

nowhere near as common as

Uses a more informal tone to emphasize that something is not as widespread as something else.

a world apart from

Uses a metaphorical expression to suggest a large difference in prevalence.

in a different league to

Emphasizes that comparison are not comparable because one is much more uncommon.

not a patch on

An idiomatic expression indicating that one item is significantly inferior in number or occurrence.

FAQs

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

Use "much rarer than" to compare the infrequency of two items or events. For instance, "Finding a four-leaf clover is "much rarer than" finding a three-leaf clover."

What are some alternatives to "much rarer than"?

You can use alternatives like "considerably less frequent than", "significantly less common than", or "far more unusual than" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "much rarer than"?

Yes, "much rarer than" is grammatically correct. It's a standard way to compare the relative infrequency of two things.

What's the difference between "much rarer than" and "slightly rarer than"?

"Much rarer than" indicates a significant difference in rarity, while "slightly rarer than" suggests a minor difference. The choice depends on the degree of difference you want to emphasize.