significantly fewer

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "significantly fewer" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing quantities to indicate a notable decrease in number or amount. Example: "This year, we have significantly fewer participants in the event compared to last year."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Significantly fewer had reported it.

The Guardian

Military operations killed significantly fewer civilians.

The New York Times

RISC processors involved significantly fewer transistors.

Stanford University

Street protests are significantly fewer and less violent.

The Guardian

Apixaban produced significantly fewer major hemorrhages than dabigatran and rivaroxaban.

Harvard University

Ideologically, the swing group includes significantly fewer self-described liberals.

The Washington Post

But they found that significantly fewer than this actually traded.

Harvard Business Review

The Keytruda group also experienced significantly fewer side effects.

The Washington Post

The Keytruda group also experienced significantly fewer serious side effects.

The Washington Post

Females made significantly fewer errors on this task than males.

Brain and Cognition

Prior parietal peritoneal closure was associated with significantly fewer dense and filmy adhesions (52% versus 73%, P =.006) and significantly fewer dense adhesions (30% versus 45%, P =.043).

Stanford University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "significantly fewer", ensure that the comparison is clear. Specify what the reduction is relative to (e.g., "Significantly fewer errors were made this year compared to last year").

Common error

Avoid using "significantly fewer" without proper context or statistical backing. The term implies a level of importance beyond mere numerical difference, and should be supported by evidence or a clear rationale.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "significantly fewer" functions as an adverbial modifier specifying the degree to which something is reduced in quantity. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's a correct and usable construction. Examples from Ludwig illustrate it being used to describe reductions in errors, side effects, and various other measurable quantities.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Academia

33%

Science

32%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "significantly fewer" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase to denote a notable reduction in quantity. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable across various contexts, particularly in news, academic writing and science. When employing this phrase, ensure the context makes the basis of comparison clear, and that the difference is indeed substantial, to avoid misuse. Alternative phrases like "considerably reduced" or "substantially less" can offer stylistic variation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

substantially fewer

Emphasizes that the number is significantly lower.

substantially less

Emphasizes the magnitude of the reduction.

drastically reduced

Indicates a severe decrease.

considerably fewer

Focuses on the largeness of the reduction in number.

considerably reduced

Highlights the action of reducing more than the quantity itself.

appreciably diminished

Suggests a noticeable decrease that is easy to perceive.

markedly decreased

Emphasizes the distinctiveness of the reduction.

noticeably less

Focuses on the observation of a smaller amount.

distinctly reduced

Highlights the clarity and separateness of the reduction.

far less

A more concise and informal way to express a reduction.

FAQs

How can I use "significantly fewer" in a sentence?

Use "significantly fewer" to indicate a notable reduction in quantity or number. For example, "There were "significantly fewer" accidents this year due to the new safety regulations."

What are some alternatives to saying "significantly fewer"?

You can use phrases like "substantially less", "considerably reduced", or "appreciably diminished" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "significant fewer" instead of "significantly fewer"?

No, the correct phrasing is "significantly fewer". "Significantly" is an adverb that modifies the adjective "fewer", indicating the degree of reduction.

What's the difference between "significantly fewer" and "slightly fewer"?

"Significantly fewer" indicates a notable and important reduction, while "slightly fewer" suggests a small and perhaps inconsequential difference.