smaller weight

USAGE SUMMARY

"smaller weight" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is lighter than before, or lighter than something else. For example: "The new model of the car has a smaller weight than the old one."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

On projects of far smaller weight, I have experienced that pleasure of discovering something new.

The New York Times - Science

This culinary switch, in fact, gets the most credit for the rookies' smaller weight gain.

The New York Times

In oxidation tests, the Al-coated graphite showed a smaller weight loss than the pristine graphite.

Surface and Coatings Technology

Of note in a B16-F0 model, primary tumors remained of smaller weight in RbpjeKO mice compared to RbpjWT (Supplementary Figure 7; **p < 0.01; Mann–Whitney T-Test).

Nature

Thus, the developed MTPS, which has smaller weight and volume as compared to a conventional one, perform well and fit our design specifications.

Solid-State Electronics

Because of the inherently smaller weight and size, a LWV's CG height is more easily affected by loading conditions compared with conventional vehicles.

Control Engineering Practice

By definition, the funds that do well will have returns for all the years of the sample; the duds will drop out and will have a smaller weight.

The Economist

The key idea behind the method is to consider the attribute with more frequent patterns as the common attribute and to assign a smaller weight to it.

Data & Knowledge Engineering

"And across a wide range of industries, the economy is tending to use a smaller weight of materials as a result of better efficiency and because homes and offices now have pretty much all the equipment they need," he said.

The Guardian

His knowledge, and that which he has generously passed on the Shane and the rest of the boys, is so important today as the sport continues to squeeze bigger and bigger athletes into smaller and smaller weight classes.

The Guardian - Sport

That all means the overall finish rate of 52percentt is actually up slightly from the 50percentt in 2014, despite a continued trend of more fights taking place in the smaller weight classes.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing two items, use "smaller weight" to clearly indicate that one item is lighter than the other. This is especially useful in technical or scientific contexts where precision is important.

Common error

Avoid using "smaller weight" metaphorically when you mean "less important". While you might be tempted to use it to describe the significance of something, it's more accurate and clearer to use phrases like "less significant" or "lower priority" in those contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "smaller weight" primarily functions as a descriptive phrase, using the adjective "smaller" to modify the noun "weight". Ludwig AI confirms its usability in English. This phrase often specifies a comparative attribute, indicating that something has less mass than another.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

54%

News & Media

32%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "smaller weight" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase primarily functioning to describe a reduced mass or load. Ludwig AI confirms this. It commonly appears in scientific and news-related contexts to make comparisons or highlight changes in weight. While alternatives like "reduced weight" or "less weight" exist, "smaller weight" is preferred for direct comparisons of physical mass. When used metaphorically to mean "less important", it's best to opt for more accurate alternatives like "less significant". The phrase's neutral to formal register makes it versatile, fitting various writing styles while maintaining clarity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reduced weight

Emphasizes the action of decreasing the weight.

less weight

Directly indicates a lower quantity of weight.

lighter weight

Highlights the feeling of being less heavy.

decreased mass

Uses "mass" instead of "weight", focusing on the physical property.

lower mass

Similar to decreased mass, directly stating a lower quantity.

diminished importance

Shifts the context to significance rather than physical weight.

reduced influence

Focuses on a decrease in impact or effect.

lessened significance

Emphasizes a reduction in the level of importance.

minor consideration

Indicates something is given little thought or importance.

negligible impact

Highlights that the effect is so small it's almost nonexistent.

FAQs

How can I use "smaller weight" in a sentence?

You can use "smaller weight" to compare the heaviness of two objects, as in "The new laptop has a "smaller weight" than the old one, making it easier to carry".

What's a good alternative to "smaller weight" when discussing importance?

If you're not talking about physical weight, consider using phrases like "less important", "lower priority", or "minor consideration".

Is it correct to say "lesser weight" instead of "smaller weight"?

While "lesser weight" is understandable, "smaller weight" is generally preferred when referring to physical mass. "Lesser" often implies importance or degree rather than physical size or mass, so using ""smaller weight"" is more precise.

When is it appropriate to use "smaller weight" in a technical context?

In technical fields like engineering or physics, "smaller weight" is appropriate when describing and comparing the mass of components, materials, or systems. For example, "Using aluminum resulted in a "smaller weight" for the aircraft structure".