vastly fewer

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "vastly fewer" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing quantities, indicating that one amount is significantly smaller than another. Example: "There are vastly fewer participants in this year's competition compared to last year."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

Why there are vastly fewer now than there were before, for instance.

The Guardian

The colonial pantry, containing vastly fewer items, probably held superior nutritional value and no lack of flavor.

The New York Times - Books

We need either vastly fewer people or vastly more forests, along with a new definition of earth-friendly reforestation.

The New York Times

Vastly fewer die in the air, but airline accidents tend to be far less forgiving and involve large, headline-grabbing numbers of people.

The Economist

Meanwhile, the number of unmarried couples nearly doubled in the past decade to 5.5 million, still vastly fewer than the 55 million married couples.

The New York Times

As a result, NASA researchers are producing vastly fewer patents than they did in earlier years, and there has been a recent falloff in papers as well.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

The place buzzes engagingly with the sound of people relishing fairly priced food, and the bustle fits in nicely with a cheap'n'cheerful'n'only slightly self-reverential menu ("My favourite humble green salad", etc) from which we ordered vastly with few disappointments.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Antiquated unions remain powerful, as do a few vastly rich businessmen.

The Economist

The city was trying to steer both the needy and their donors to organized charities, though the number of poor vastly overwhelmed the few national charities.

The New York Times

The substance of the report, however, is plain: cloud and mobile computing combined will rapidly improve, dislodging many incumbents in enterprise computing, and vastly empowering a few others, becoming what Forrester calls "computing cartels" that control millions of servers in data centers around the globe.

The New York Times

Drastically simplified, the vision was of an atomised entrepreneurialism in which as many individuals as possible pursued the goal of profit, so as to wrest capital accumulation from both a few vastly powerful interests (such as "Jewish banking families") and a monolithic socialist state.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "vastly fewer", ensure that the context clearly establishes what the comparison is being made to. This provides clarity and impact to your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "vastly fewer" when the difference is only marginal. Reserve it for scenarios where the reduction is truly significant to maintain credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "vastly fewer" functions as a determiner phrase, modifying a noun to indicate a significantly smaller quantity. Ludwig examples show it being used to describe tangible items like "people", "items", and "opportunities".

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "vastly fewer" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to indicate a significant reduction in quantity. Ludwig AI analysis confirms its correctness and provides numerous examples from reputable sources. It's best suited for neutral to formal contexts, and should be reserved for situations where the difference is truly substantial. Related phrases include "significantly fewer" and "considerably less". To ensure clear communication, always contextualize the comparison being made. Avoid using "vastly fewer" if the reduction is only marginal.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significantly fewer

Highlights the importance of the reduction; more formal.

substantially fewer

Similar to 'significantly fewer' but can imply a more tangible difference.

markedly fewer

Focuses on how noticeable the reduction is.

distinctly fewer

Highlights a clear difference in quantity.

considerably less

Emphasizes a noticeable reduction but may not be as strong as "vastly fewer".

noticeably fewer

Emphasizes that the decrease is easily observed.

appreciably fewer

Indicates that the difference is large enough to be important or meaningful.

measurably fewer

Implies that the difference can be quantified.

far fewer

A simpler way to express the same idea, suitable for less formal contexts.

much less

A more general term for expressing a lower quantity; less emphatic.

FAQs

How can I use "vastly fewer" in a sentence?

Use "vastly fewer" to indicate a significant decrease in number or quantity when comparing two things. For example, "There are "vastly fewer" students in advanced physics than in introductory physics".

What is an alternative to saying "vastly fewer"?

Alternatives include "significantly fewer", "considerably less", or "substantially fewer". The best choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "vastly fewer"?

Yes, "vastly fewer" is grammatically correct and commonly used to express a large difference in quantity. Ludwig confirms that the phrase is usable in written English.

What's the difference between "vastly fewer" and "slightly fewer"?

"Vastly fewer" implies a large, noticeable difference in quantity, while "slightly fewer" indicates a small, almost insignificant difference. The choice depends on the magnitude of the difference you want to describe.