not exceeding five

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "not exceeding five" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you want to specify a limit or maximum number, often in formal or legal documents. Example: "Participants must submit their entries, not exceeding five per person."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

The excess land was expropriated and distributed to the peasants in parcels not exceeding five faddāns.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Disobedience to the passenger-rate act renders the party guilty of a felony and subject to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or imprisonment in the state prison for a period not exceeding five years, or both fine and imprisonment.

Cornell University

The board of United States general appraisers herein provided for shall be authorized to obtain the advice, when necessary, of persons skilled in the examination of teas, who shall each receive for his services in any particular case a compensation not exceeding five dollars.

Cornell University

The Israeli-PLO accord, also known as Oslo I, envisioned the gradual implementation of Palestinian self-government in the West Bank and Gaza Strip for a transitional period not exceeding five years and leading to a permanent settlement based on UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338.

Britannica

Nor may he do so from any group of wells lying within a land area not exceeding five donums' (one donum equals 1,000 m2).[18].

Environmental Sciences Europe

The majority of known Darboux-integrable semidiscrete equations possess x- and n-rings of dimensions not exceeding five (see [14, 16, 19]).

Advances in Difference Equations

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

Every person who shall make any such contract or engage in any such combination or conspiracy, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction thereof, shall be punished by fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding one year, or by both said punishments, in the discretion of the court.

The New York Times

For every work above two ounces in weight, and not exceeding three ounces, six pence.

Yale University

For every work not exceeding two ounces in weight, one penny.

Yale University

Militias, poorly disciplined and with elected officers, were summoned for periods usually not exceeding three months.

Britannica

Congress moved to commemorate its fallen general by setting aside "a sum not exceeding three hundred pounds".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "not exceeding five" in formal contexts, such as legal documents or academic papers, to clearly state a maximum limit or upper bound.

Common error

Be clear whether the limit ('five', in this case) is included. "Not exceeding five" means five is included; if you mean strictly less than five, use "less than five".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not exceeding five" functions as a limiter or qualifier, specifying an upper boundary for a quantity or value. Ludwig confirms its validity and usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Academia

33%

Science

33%

News & Media

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

8%

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "not exceeding five" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed expression used to specify a maximum limit. As Ludwig confirms, it's suitable for formal contexts such as legal documents, academic writing, and technical guidelines. It's important to note that the limit (in this case, five) is included in the range of acceptable values. When a more informal tone is acceptable, alternatives like "up to five" or "no more than five" can also be considered.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

up to five

Emphasizes the upper limit, suggesting values can range from zero to five.

maximum of five

Directly states the highest permissible value.

no more than five

Indicates a limit that should not be surpassed.

at most five

Highlights the greatest allowable quantity.

five or fewer

Specifies that the quantity can be five or any smaller number.

less than or equal to five

Mathematically precise way to indicate the upper bound.

not surpassing five

A more formal way of saying that a value should not go over five.

capped at five

Suggests there's a firm upper limit which cannot be exceeded.

limited to five

Emphasizes a strict restriction on the maximum allowed.

not going over five

Informal way to say a value or quantity should not exceed five.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "not exceeding five" in a sentence?

You can replace "not exceeding five" with alternatives like "up to five", "maximum of five", or "no more than five" depending on the context.

Is it grammatically correct to say "not exceeding five"?

Yes, "not exceeding five" is grammatically correct and widely used in formal writing to indicate that a value or quantity should be five or less.

What's the difference between "not exceeding five" and "less than five"?

"Not exceeding five" includes the number five as a possible value, while "less than five" excludes it. Thus, "not exceeding five" means the value can be 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, whereas "less than five" means it can only be 1, 2, 3, or 4.

In what contexts is "not exceeding five" most appropriate?

The phrase "not exceeding five" is best used in formal contexts, such as legal documents, academic writing, or technical specifications, where precision and clarity are essential.