whichever is less

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "whichever is less" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use "whichever is less" when you are comparing two lesser values and you want to refer to the lower of the two. For example, "I will pay for whichever travel cost is less: either the bus or the plane."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

49 human-written examples

SPP Statutory paternity pay, the legal minimum (£112.75 a week or 90% of average weekly earnings, whichever is less).

The Guardian - Money

Paternity: After 26 weeks' service, one week's full pay, one week's SPP or 90% pay, whichever is less.

The Guardian - Money

They will be eligible for credits worth $45 million, or six times the cost of the environmental cleanup, whichever is less.

The New York Times

The court ruled that parole must be limited to the unserved remainder of the sentence or five years, whichever is less.

The New York Times

If his term ends early, he will receive salary and benefits for three months or until Dec. 31, whichever is less.

The New York Times

Otherwise, your income-tax deduction is limited to your basis in the asset (what it initially cost you) or its fair market value, whichever is less.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

11 human-written examples

The program paid out grants to people based on either the pre-hurricane value of their homes or the estimated cost of rebuilding, whichever was less.

The New York Times

The House bill would allow individual investors to invest up to $10,000 or 10 percent of their annual income per year, whichever was less.

The New York Times

The governor's proposal would cap the growth of the overall property tax levy at 2 percent a year or the rate of inflation, whichever was less.

The New York Times

For years, most borrowers and lenders read HUD's rules to mean that a borrower or the heirs would never owe more than the loan balance or the value of the property, whichever was less.

The New York Times

Pushing the "help" button, always visible on the screen, led to a general discussion of I.R.A.'s, and several paragraphs into that discussion was the explanation that the maximum contribution to a traditional I.R.A. was $3,000 or 100percentt of that year's wages, whichever was less.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "whichever is less", ensure that the context clearly defines the two values being compared. Ambiguity can arise if the items are not explicitly stated.

Common error

Avoid using "whichever is less" when comparing items that are not quantifiable or directly comparable in terms of magnitude. For instance, it's incorrect to say "Choose honesty or wealth, whichever is less".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "whichever is less" functions as a determiner phrase that introduces a condition where the smaller of two stated options is chosen. As seen in Ludwig's examples, it sets a limit based on a comparison.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

25%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

10%

Reference

8%

Academia

8%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "whichever is less" is a versatile phrase used to specify a conditional minimum. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically sound and frequently employed across diverse contexts. From news reports and scientific papers to general guidelines, its neutral tone ensures broad applicability. Remember to compare quantifiable items when using "whichever is less", and consider alternatives like "whichever is smaller" or "the smaller of the two" for variety. Ensure clarity in your writing by explicitly stating the values being compared. With its widespread use and clear meaning, "whichever is less" remains a valuable tool for precise communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

whichever is smaller

Replaces "less" with "smaller", emphasizing size or magnitude.

whichever is lower

Uses "lower" as a synonym for "less", generally applicable to amounts or numerical values.

whichever is the lesser amount

Adds specificity by using "lesser amount" instead of simply "less".

whichever value is lower

Adds the noun "value" to explicitly state what is being compared.

whichever is the minimum

Substitutes "less" with "minimum", highlighting the absolute lower limit.

the lesser of the two

Similar to 'the smaller of the two', but uses 'lesser'.

the smaller of the two

A more concise way of indicating the selection of the minimum between two options.

the minimum of the two

Emphasizes the absolute lowest value.

whichever is reduced

Focuses on the act of reduction and identifies the reduced amount.

whichever results in a smaller quantity

More descriptive alternative specifying the outcome of the selection.

FAQs

How to use "whichever is less" in a sentence?

Use "whichever is less" when you are presenting two options or values and want to indicate that the smaller value will be chosen or applied. For example, "The fine will be $100 or 10% of your income, "whichever is less"."

What can I say instead of "whichever is less"?

You can use alternatives like "the smaller of the two", "the minimum of the two", or "whichever is smaller" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "whichever is less" or "whichever is fewer"?

"Whichever is less" is used for uncountable nouns (like money or time), while "whichever is fewer" is used for countable nouns (like items or people). For example, "whichever is less money" versus "whichever is fewer items".

What's the difference between "whichever is less" and "whichever is lower"?

"Whichever is less" is generally used when referring to a quantity or amount, while "whichever is lower" can be used more broadly to indicate a relative position or value on a scale. In many numerical contexts, they are interchangeable.