thinly attended

USAGE SUMMARY

"thinly attended" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is typically used to describe an event or gathering with a small number of people in attendance. Example: The conference was thinly attended, with only a handful of participants present despite the large number of registrations.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

16 human-written examples

Yet its demonstrations have been thinly attended.

The Economist

"It's what held this town together, all the mills," Ms. Flaherty said, watching another thinly attended lunch hour go by.

The New York Times

He describes dusty parish halls, empty rows of chairs and thinly attended lectures on the menace of fascism.

The Guardian - Opinion

In 1959 the Saturday night Proms concert was reported to be "thinly attended"; last weekend it was sold out.

The Guardian - Opinion

The smell of political death hovered in the air at his thinly attended election-night party in the Citadel, a military college in Charleston.

The Economist

As a result, the standing committees in the Commons (which are meant to scrutinise every new law) are thinly attended and skip over chunks of each bill.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

Thomas's father was a vice-principal at Westlake High School in Austin, Texas, and the main character attended a "thinly disguised version" of the school.

Wikipedia

Thomas's father was a vice-principal at Westlake High School near Austin, Texas, and the main character attended a "thinly disguised version" of the school.

Wikipedia

Slice the roast thinly, serve, and enjoy!

WikiHow

Eleven players were within two shots of the lead at T.P.C. Scottsdale, where a crowd estimated at 101,709 attended the second round under thinly overcast conditions.

The New York Times - Sports

At a thinly-attended rally of city employees against Proposition B in the Castro on Wednesday, Ms. Helton said her costs to insure herself and her son would be too much for her to pay if Proposition B passed.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing an event's attendance, consider the context. "Thinly attended" suggests a noticeably low turnout compared to expectations or capacity. Use it when the lack of attendees is a relevant observation.

Common error

Avoid overusing adverbs like "very", "extremely", or "quite" with "thinly attended". The phrase itself already conveys a significant lack of attendance, so adding such adverbs can sound redundant or hyperbolic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "thinly attended" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun (usually an event, meeting, or gathering) to describe its low level of attendance. Ludwig examples showcase its descriptive use across various sources.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

82%

Wiki

9%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Science

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "thinly attended" is a grammatically correct and commonly used adjectival phrase that describes an event or gathering with a noticeably low number of attendees. As indicated by Ludwig, it's suitable for various contexts, though more formal alternatives may exist. It often implies that the attendance was below expectations. When using this phrase, consider the context and avoid redundant adverbs to maintain clarity and precision in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

poorly attended

Focuses on the lack of attendance, similar to the original phrase but using a different adjective.

sparsely attended

Emphasizes the scattered nature of the few attendees present.

lightly attended

Indicates a small number of attendees, maintaining a neutral tone.

poor turnout

Refers to the event itself, highlighting the low number of attendees.

underattended

A more concise way of saying "thinly attended", directly indicating insufficient attendance.

meager attendance

Emphasizes the small quantity of attendees.

small audience

Focuses on the size of the audience present.

scant attendance

Highlights the limited and insufficient number of people present.

low participation

Focuses on the lack of active involvement from potential attendees.

poorly patronized

Indicates a lack of support or interest from the public, leading to low attendance.

FAQs

How to use "thinly attended" in a sentence?

"Thinly attended" is used to describe an event or gathering with a small number of people present. For example: "The meeting was "thinly attended" due to the holiday season".

What can I say instead of "thinly attended"?

You can use alternatives like "poorly attended", "sparsely attended", or "lightly attended", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is "thinly attended" formal or informal?

"Thinly attended" is generally considered a neutral term suitable for both formal and informal contexts, although more formal options like "sparsely attended" may be preferred in some situations.

What's the difference between "thinly attended" and "poorly attended"?

While both phrases describe low attendance, "thinly attended" focuses more on the sparse distribution of attendees, whereas "poorly attended" emphasizes the overall lack of attendance and potential disappointment.