substantially less frequent than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "substantially less frequent than" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to compare the frequency of two events or occurrences, indicating that one happens much less often than the other. Example: "The occurrence of this rare species is substantially less frequent than that of its more common relatives."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

GSS, also known as "threat" score or critical success index, is a particular useful measure of skill for situations where the occurrences of the event to be forecast are substantially less frequent than the non-occurrences [ 83]. Figure 3 shows cross validation accuracy of Spice compared to bagging, boosting, random forest, PAM, and varSelRF ensemble methods.

BMC Systems Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Recently, Schultz et al. [ 13] found rainfall washout to increase endosulfan in the Lourens River located in the South-Western Cape (from 0.06 μg/L to 0.16 μg/L), but levels were substantially lower and detections less frequent, than that measured in this study and the effect of irrigation was not measured.

Environmental Health: A Global Access Science Source

Actual hybrids probably less frequent than reports of hybrids.

University of California, Berkeley

His input was less frequent than we're used to.

The Guardian - Sport

Its cosmetic use is far less frequent than in China.

The New York Times

The last two are less frequent than parades.

The New York Times

Audits may be less frequent than every year.

The New York Times

Attempts to incorporate Montauk have been more frequent than locusts but less frequent than cicadas on the East End.

The New York Times

However, conversation on the topic is less frequent than one might expect.

Yale University

Reporting shall be no less frequent than specified in the above regulations.

Cornell University

Abnormal color vision and proptosis were less frequent than in historical comparison with published series.

Yale University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "substantially less frequent than", ensure that you are comparing two distinct events or occurrences and that the difference in their frequency is significant enough to warrant the use of "substantially".

Common error

Avoid using "substantially less frequent than" when the difference in frequency is marginal or insignificant. Using "slightly less frequent than" may be more appropriate in such cases.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "substantially less frequent than" functions as a comparative adjective phrase. It is used to describe the relative frequency of one event or phenomenon in comparison to another, indicating that the first occurs significantly less often. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

34%

Academia

28%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "substantially less frequent than" is a grammatically sound and useful comparative phrase for indicating a notable difference in the frequency of two occurrences. As Ludwig AI states, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. It is commonly found in scientific, academic, and news contexts, making it suitable for formal and objective communication. When employing this phrase, ensure that the difference is indeed significant to avoid overstatement. Alternative phrases like "considerably less common than" or "significantly less frequent than" can also be used to convey a similar meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

considerably less common than

Replaces "substantially" with "considerably" while maintaining the comparison of frequency or occurrence.

significantly less frequent than

Substitutes "substantially" with "significantly", emphasizing a notable difference in frequency.

markedly less frequent than

Uses "markedly" instead of "substantially", highlighting a distinct difference in frequency.

noticeably less frequent than

Replaces "substantially" with "noticeably", indicating an easily observed difference in frequency.

appreciably less frequent than

Substitutes "substantially" with "appreciably", suggesting a measurable difference in frequency.

much less frequent than

Simplifies the phrase by replacing "substantially" with "much", denoting a significant reduction in frequency.

considerably rarer than

Changes the structure to use "rarer" instead of "less frequent", conveying a similar meaning with different wording.

significantly less often than

Modifies the phrase to use "less often" instead of "less frequent", emphasizing the rate of occurrence.

distinctly less prevalent than

Replaces "frequent" with "prevalent", highlighting a clear difference in the degree to which something exists or is common.

demonstrably less frequent than

Replaces "substantially" with "demonstrably", which means able to be demonstrated or proved.

FAQs

How can I use "substantially less frequent than" in a sentence?

You can use "substantially less frequent than" to compare the frequency of two events, indicating one occurs significantly less often. For example: "Complications are "less frequent than" in older children."

What's the difference between "substantially less frequent than" and "slightly less frequent than"?

"Substantially less frequent than" indicates a significant difference in frequency, while "slightly less frequent than" suggests a minor difference.

What are some alternatives to "substantially less frequent than"?

Alternatives include "considerably less common than", "significantly less frequent than", or "much less frequent than", depending on the specific context and desired emphasis.

Is it appropriate to use "substantially less frequent than" in formal writing?

Yes, "substantially less frequent than" is suitable for formal writing, especially in scientific or academic contexts where precise comparisons are necessary.