weakly less than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "weakly less than" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in mathematical or statistical contexts to describe a relationship where one quantity is less than another, but not strictly so. Example: "In this analysis, we consider the variable A to be weakly less than variable B, indicating that A can be equal to B or less."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

As expected from thermodynamics modelling, strong base pairing at position −8 increased the rate of second phosphodiester bond cleavage (note the match of theoretical and experimental results), while the most of the changes between positions −7 and +1 affected the reaction relatively weakly (less than two-fold as compared with EC16WT).

EMBO Journal

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Less Than Jake.

WikiHow

Indeed, X4-infected MDM are mainly highly autophagic, with more than 10 autophagosomes per cell section, and thus are less infected than R5-infected MDM that are essentially weakly autophagic (less than 10 autophagosomes per cell section).

Plosone

We modified the criteria and also scored the tumor cells/normal epithelia semi-quantitatively as follows: negative, no positive cells; weakly positive, less than 30% cells positive; strongly positive, more than 30% cells positive.

BMC Cancer

Scoring criteria for stromal cells is as follows: negative, no fibroblasts are SPARC positive; weakly positive, less than 50% of fibroblasts are SPARC positive; and strongly positive, more than 50% of fibroblasts are SPARC positive [2].

Chinese Journal of Cancer

Scoring criteria for expression of laminin-5 γ2 chain is as follows: negative, no laminin-5 γ2 positive cells; weakly positive, less than 30% cells are laminin-5 γ2 positive; and strongly positive, more than 30% of cells are laminin-5 γ2 positive [24].

Chinese Journal of Cancer

The extent of staining in tumor stroma/normal mucosa stroma was recorded according to the criteria of Koukourakis MI et al. as follows: negative, no positive fibroblasts; weakly positive, less than 50% of fibroblasts positive; strongly positive, more than 50% of fibroblasts positive [ 14].

BMC Cancer

Table 1 Performance comparison of coding design strategies and topology design strategies   Encoding and decoding cost Security Success rate Coding design strategies o(h2) - o(h3) Shannon or weakly ≈1 Topology design strategies (ISNS) o(h) Weakly Wiretappers' rate less than 0.1 Wiretappers' rate less than 0.2, more than 0.1       ≈1 >0.1.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

They were rated positive if a clear brown or purple color was detected in the majority of the cells, as weakly positive if less than 50% of the cells were stained (the majority weakly)), and as negative if no staining was detectable.

BMC Cancer

In the range of LLD/L between 0.20 and 0.35, the gain reaches 90 dB and is weakly temperature-dependent with less than 10% reduction in the range of 300 K down to 95 K.

Solid-State Electronics

There is a strongly absorbing region at energies above 3 eV, in which absorption increases with the Si content of the layers, and a weakly absorbing region at less than 3 eV, which is not strongly affected by Si content.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "weakly less than" in technical writing, always provide context to clarify the degree of difference. Specify if the difference is statistically significant or practically relevant.

Common error

Don't use "weakly less than" when a more precise term is available. If you mean "slightly less than", use that instead to avoid confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "weakly less than" functions as a comparative qualifier, modifying the degree to which one thing is less than another. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's usable in written English, typically in mathematical or statistical contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

80%

News & Media

10%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "weakly less than" serves as a comparative qualifier, indicating a subtle or marginal difference. As Ludwig AI points out, it is grammatically sound and appropriate for use in technical and formal writing. The phrase appears most frequently in scientific contexts. When using this phrase, clarity is key; avoid it if a more precise term will better convey your intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slightly smaller than

Emphasizes a small difference in magnitude.

somewhat below

Indicates a position or level that is a bit lower.

marginally inferior to

Suggests a slight degree of lower quality or effectiveness.

not quite as much as

Highlights a deficiency in quantity or extent.

modestly below

Implies a moderate decrease from a certain point or level.

just under

Indicates proximity to a specific threshold from below.

hardly exceeding

Points out that something barely goes over a particular limit.

faintly under

Suggests that something is just slightly below another thing

not as strong as

Indicates a comparative lack of strength.

a touch smaller than

Emphasizes a tiny difference in measure.

FAQs

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

The phrase "weakly less than" is typically used to indicate a subtle or marginal difference between two values. For example: "The effect of the new drug was "weakly less than" that of the standard treatment".

What does "weakly less than" mean in statistical contexts?

In statistics, "weakly less than" suggests a relationship where one variable is either less than or equal to another. It's often used to define conditions or set boundaries in data analysis.

What are some alternatives to using the phrase "weakly less than"?

Alternatives include "slightly less than", "not much greater than", or "approximately equal to depending on the degree of precision required in your statement.

In what situations is it appropriate to use "weakly less than"?

This phrase is suitable when describing subtle differences that may not be statistically significant but are still worth noting, particularly in scientific or technical contexts.