percent less than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "percent less than" is grammatically correct and can be used in written English.
It is typically used to compare two quantities and express the difference between them as a percentage. Example: The cost of living in the city is 20 percent less than in the suburbs. In this sentence, the phrase "percent less than" is used to indicate that the cost of living in the city is 20% lower than the cost of living in the suburbs.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

That's what I'm left with.

Vice

That's 21percentt up from last year and perhaps a few percent less than now.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

That's 15 percent less than in 2000.

The New York Times

Inventories rose 0.1percentt, less than expected.

The New York Times

ESPN offered 10 percent less than CBS and Turner.

The New York Times - Sports

Actual spending was nearly 40percentt less than that.

The New York Times

What other program costs 45percentt less than projected?

The New York Times

This is 10percentt less than the minimum hoped for.

The New York Times - Arts

That is nearly 9percentt less than the previous weekend and 20percentt less than the same weekend last year.

The New York Times

Furthermore, this cost is about 50percentt less than the costs of traditional runoff treatment facilities.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The figure is 4percentt less than the 2001 museum attendance of 235,000 and 33percentt less than the opening-year attendance of 300,000.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing two values, ensure that the baseline for calculating the percentage is clearly stated to avoid ambiguity. For example, instead of saying "Sales were 10 percent less", specify "Sales this quarter were 10 percent less than the previous quarter".

Common error

A common mistake is to apply the percentage decrease to the wrong base. If something is "20 percent less than" a value, make sure you're subtracting 20 percent from the original value and not some other related figure.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "percent less than" functions as a comparative quantifier, indicating the degree to which one quantity is smaller than another. Ludwig confirms that the expression is grammatically valid and frequently found. It establishes a numerical relationship, expressing a proportional difference.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Academia

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "percent less than" is a grammatically correct and frequently used comparative quantifier, as confirmed by Ludwig. It serves the purpose of specifying the magnitude of reduction or difference between two values, primarily in neutral to formal contexts such as news reports and academic papers. When using this phrase, ensure the base value is clear. While alternatives like "percentage decrease compared to" exist, "percent less than" remains a direct and widely understood expression. Ludwig's analysis aligns with the observation that this phrase is common and effectively conveys quantitative comparisons.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

percentage decrease compared to

Replaces "less than" with a more explicit comparison.

percentage reduction from

Focuses on the reduction aspect, instead of a direct comparison.

fraction lower than

Uses "fraction" instead of "percentage", changing the mathematical representation.

proportion smaller than

Emphasizes the smaller proportion relative to another value.

amount diminished by

Highlights the action of diminishing and the specific amount.

quantity reduced by

Specifies that a quantity has been reduced by a given percentage.

value declined by

Emphasizes the decline in value, with a percentage difference implied.

rate diminished by

Focuses on the rate being reduced by a certain percentage.

level dropped by

Highlights a decrease in level, expressing it as a percentage.

figure fell by

Indicates that a particular figure experienced a percentage decrease.

FAQs

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

Use "percent less than" to compare two quantities, showing how much smaller one is relative to the other. For example, "The new model consumes 30 "percent less than" the old one".

What is a synonym for "percent less than"?

Alternatives include "percentage decrease compared to", "percentage reduction from", or "fraction lower than". These phrases offer similar meanings when describing a reduction or difference in quantity.

How does "percent less than" differ from "percent more than"?

"Percent less than" indicates a decrease or reduction relative to a baseline, while "percent more than" shows an increase. For example, something could be "10 percent less than" the original price or "10 percent more than" the original price.

Is it grammatically correct to say "less percentage than" instead of "percent less than"?

While understandable, "less percentage than" is not the standard or grammatically preferred phrasing. "Percent less than" is the conventional and more widely accepted way to express the comparison.