substantially fewer than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "substantially fewer than" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing quantities to indicate that one amount is significantly less than another. Example: "The survey revealed that there were substantially fewer than 100 participants in the study."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

24 human-written examples

That's substantially fewer than those taken by his immediate predecessors.

The Washington Post

That is substantially fewer than would have been enrolled had there been no shutdown.

The New York Times - Health

It's illegal, certainly – but 14 of 249 is substantially fewer than the "one in five" originally claimed.

The Guardian - Opinion

If substantially fewer than 70% of badgers were removed, there would be a risk that the population reduction was insufficient to reduce TB risks to cattle.

The Guardian

On the other hand, New York had a net loss of 71,000 migrants in 2009, substantially fewer than the 170,000 migrants it lost in 2005.

The New York Times

Mr. Elliott, the author of seven books, says he has sold apps only in the "double digits," substantially fewer than in print or e-book form.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

German workers already work substantially fewer hours than the typical American worker.

Stanford University

Kadima won substantially fewer seats than the 44 predicted at its birth under Mr. Sharon in November.

The New York Times

This year it stood substantially fewer candidates than in previous years, with no one representing the party in several of its previous strongholds, in Yorkshire and the north-east.

The Guardian

There were substantially fewer women than men both under supervision and in prison custody across the five year period the study examined.

The Guardian

The algorithm has the interesting feature that it leads to solve linear systems with substantially fewer unknowns than with other existing fast methods.

Journal of Computational Physics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "substantially fewer than", ensure the comparison is clear and the difference is significant enough to warrant the emphasis. Provide specific numbers whenever possible for better clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "substantially fewer than" when the difference between two quantities is negligible. This phrase should be reserved for cases where the reduction is significant and impactful.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantially fewer than" functions as a comparative quantifier, indicating a significantly smaller amount or number of something relative to something else. Ludwig AI highlights the phrase's usability in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

54%

Academia

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "substantially fewer than" is a grammatically correct and frequently used comparative quantifier that signifies a noteworthy reduction in quantity. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is most commonly found in news and scientific contexts. When using this phrase, ensure that the difference is indeed significant and impactful. Alternatives such as "significantly less than" and "considerably less than" can be used to convey similar meaning. Avoid overusing the phrase for minor differences to maintain clarity and impact.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significantly less than

Emphasizes the importance of difference in an amount or degree.

considerably less than

Indicates a notable degree of reduction.

markedly fewer than

Highlights a clearly noticeable difference.

noticeably fewer than

Focuses on a visible or easily observed reduction.

appreciably less than

Implies a measurable and significant difference.

significantly smaller than

Emphasizes the size aspect in comparison.

much less than

A more general phrase indicating a large difference.

far fewer than

Indicates a considerable numeric difference.

a good deal less than

Suggests a meaningful quantity reduction.

considerably smaller number of

Emphasizes the reduced count or quantity.

FAQs

How can I use "substantially fewer than" in a sentence?

Use "substantially fewer than" to indicate a significant reduction in quantity. For example, "This year, we had substantially fewer applicants than last year."

What is a good alternative to "substantially fewer than"?

You can use alternatives like "significantly less than", "considerably less than", or "markedly fewer than" to convey a similar meaning.

When is it appropriate to use "substantially fewer than"?

Use "substantially fewer than" when you want to emphasize that one quantity is significantly smaller than another. The difference should be noteworthy and impactful.

What is the difference between "fewer than" and "substantially fewer than"?

"Fewer than" simply indicates that one quantity is less than another. "Substantially fewer than" implies that the difference is significant and considerable.