was less than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "was less than" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to indicate that something is not as great a number or amount as something else. For example: The amount of money in my bank account was less than I expected.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Hook was less than impressed.

The New Yorker

Pitino was less than pleased.

The New York Times - Sports

Maintenance was less than $500.

The New York Times

This was less than ideal.

The Economist

"It was less than 35," he quipped.

Independent

However, the response was less than encouraging.

Independent

That was less than economists expected.

The Economist

The theatre was less than half full.

The Economist

It was less than two years old.

Independent

That was less than three years ago.

The New York Times - Sports

The battle was less than gentlemanly.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "was less than" to clearly indicate a comparative relationship between two quantities or qualities. Ensure that the context makes the comparison unambiguous.

Common error

Avoid using "less" with countable nouns. Instead, use "fewer". For example, say "There were fewer than 10 students present", not "There were less than 10 students present".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "was less than" functions as a comparative indicator, specifying that one quantity or value is smaller than another. Ludwig shows its frequent use in various contexts to denote differences in amounts, expectations, or standards.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

51%

Science

30%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "was less than" is a common and grammatically sound construction used for making comparisons, indicating that one quantity or value is smaller than another. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is widely applicable across diverse contexts, from News & Media to Scientific writing. It's essential to use "was less than" with uncountable nouns and "was fewer than" with countable nouns to ensure grammatical accuracy. When aiming for variety, consider using alternatives such as "was lower than" or "fell short of", but ensure they fit the specific nuance you intend to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was lower than

Directly compares two values indicating the first is smaller.

was smaller than

Used to compare sizes or amounts, showing one is less.

was fewer than

Used when referring to countable items; indicates a smaller number.

was under

Implies being below a certain level or amount.

remained below

Indicates a condition that persisted under a specific threshold.

did not exceed

Indicates that a certain limit was not surpassed.

didn't reach

Specifies that a certain level was not achieved.

fell short of

Suggests a failure to reach a specific target or expectation.

was inferior to

Conveys a lower quality or status compared to something else.

was beneath

Suggests a lower rank, position, or dignity.

FAQs

How can I use "was less than" in a sentence?

The phrase "was less than" is used to indicate that a quantity or value is smaller than another. For example: "The cost "was less than" I expected", or "His effort "was less than" required".

What's the difference between "was less than" and "was fewer than"?

"Was less than" is used for uncountable nouns or quantities, while "was fewer than" is used for countable nouns. For example: "The water used "was less than" 10 liters" (uncountable), versus "The number of attendees "was fewer than" 50" (countable).

What are some alternatives to using "was less than"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "was lower than", "did not exceed", or "fell short of" as alternatives to "was less than".

Is it grammatically correct to say "was less than"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct to use "was less than" when comparing amounts or quantities. However, ensure that you're using it with uncountable nouns. For countable nouns, use "was fewer than" instead.