thinner crowd

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "thinner crowd" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where there are fewer people present than usual, often in a context related to events or gatherings. Example: "The concert had a thinner crowd than expected, likely due to the rain."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

A thinner crowd was present on Friday at the musician's Paisley Park home, where a memorial had expanded since Prince's death was confirmed.

The Guardian - Music

Rows of press covered David Wright and Mariano Rivera, who made his final appearance at an All-Star Game, while less popular players such as Houston's Juan Castro and the Pirates Mark Melancon took it all in, chatting with a significantly thinner crowd, the later receiving a late call NL roster as an injury replacement, choosing to take an alternate route to Flushing.

The Guardian - Sport

Had it passed, he might have announced his candidacy to a thinner crowd, if the school even welcomed him to campus at all.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

One visitor, Thomas Warnke, 41, an architect, said he liked the thinner crowds.

The New York Times

A positive side-effect of the thinner crowds, however, has been to render the course less taxing on punters.

The Guardian - Sport

The "shoulder season," which he said lasts through October, has thinner crowds though the weather is often beautiful.

The New York Times

There, between the towns of Aguadilla and Isabela, lies a beach scene with thinner crowds that's just perfect for those with thinner wallets.

The New York Times - Travel

Most blame the thinner crowds on the Christmas holidays, which, after this past Sunday's demonstration proved not to be the great comeback some had hoped for, have been mentally extended to next Sunday, January 19th, Orthodox Epiphany.

The Economist

At that same location, rallies that highbrow liberals held praising Western democracy (of which they knew little) and capitalism (of which they knew even less) attracted thinner crowds.

Forbes

He gestured toward the thinning crowd.

The New Yorker

The town police threw around tear gas, ostensibly to disperse an already-thinning crowd.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "thinner crowd" to describe a noticeable reduction in the number of people present at an event or location, especially when compared to previous or expected numbers.

Common error

Avoid using "thinner crowd" to imply that the people in the crowd are physically thinner. The phrase refers to the crowd's size, not the individuals' physiques.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "thinner crowd" functions as a descriptive noun phrase, modifying the noun "crowd" with the adjective "thinner". According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct. The adjective specifies a quality of the crowd, indicating a smaller number of people.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Sport

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "thinner crowd" is a grammatically correct and relatively uncommon way to describe a smaller-than-usual gathering of people. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. It's most frequently used in news and sports reporting to describe event attendance. While semantically similar phrases like "smaller gathering" or "reduced attendance" can be used, "thinner crowd" specifically emphasizes a reduced density of people. When using this phrase, ensure you're referring to the size of the crowd, not the physical characteristics of the individuals within it.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Smaller gathering

Focuses on the event being smaller in scale.

Reduced attendance

Emphasizes a decrease in the number of people attending.

Lighter turnout

Highlights the reduced number of people who showed up.

Sparse audience

Implies a widely spaced and small gathering.

Less populated gathering

Stresses the lower density of people.

Smaller assembly

Similar to smaller gathering, but slightly more formal.

Meager crowd

Suggests the crowd is disappointingly small.

Limited audience

Focuses on the restricted size of the audience.

Poor attendance

Highlights the low level of participation.

Diminished crowd

Emphasizes that the crowd has shrunk in size.

FAQs

How can I use "thinner crowd" in a sentence?

You can use "thinner crowd" to describe events or locations that have fewer people than usual. For example, "The concert had a "thinner crowd" than expected due to the rain."

What is a good alternative to "thinner crowd"?

Alternatives to "thinner crowd" include "smaller crowd", "reduced attendance", or "lighter turnout" depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "a crowd is thinning"?

Yes, "a crowd is thinning" is a correct and common way to describe a crowd that is decreasing in size over time. This is subtly different from a "thinner crowd", which describes a state of relative size at a particular point.

What does "thinner crowd" imply about an event?

A "thinner crowd" often implies that an event is less popular, less successful, or affected by external factors such as weather, competing events, or a change in circumstances. It suggests a noticeable difference in attendance compared to expectations or previous occurrences.