whichever is lower

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "whichever is lower" is correct and usable in written English.
This phrase is used when referring to a choice between two things, typically a choice between two different amounts. For example, "You can choose a one-year or a two-year subscription, whichever is lower."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Graduates pay interest at either the RPI measure of inflation or banks' base rate plus 1%, whichever is lower.

The Guardian - Money

Paternity: One week's full pay, then a second week at SPP or 90% of average weekly pay, whichever is lower.

The Guardian - Money

You could be entitled to the market value of the goods or £250 (£500 for some destinations) whichever is lower.

Independent

It caps the redevelopment tax credits for most projects at $35 million, or three times the cost of the environmental cleanup, whichever is lower.

The New York Times

Maternity: After 26 weeks' service, for those who are returning to work, 16 weeks' full salary, 23 weeks' SMP or 90% of salary (whichever is lower).

The Guardian - Money

A cap on wrongful dismissal payouts of £78,962 or one year's salary, whichever is lower, is another deterrent to pursuing a court case in the UK.

The Guardian

Net long‐term gains up to $50,000 are taxable at half the ordinary income rate or 25%, whichever is lower.

The New York Times

For the last 33 weeks, it drops to £136.78 a week in the current tax year or 90 per cent of your earnings, whichever is lower.

Independent

A minimum response rate equivalent to 25% of the latest intake or 50 students/alumni (whichever is lower)—is required for schools to be included in the ranking.

The Economist

The peak electric field can be capped off at a certain value, which can be engineered using deep level defects to be less than the critical electric field for GaN or the critical field for punch-through, whichever is lower.

Solid-State Electronics

Under the commission's preliminary proposal, counties, towns and school districts would be allowed to raise property taxes by 120percentt of the consumer price index or 4percentt each year, whichever is lower.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "whichever is lower", ensure that the items being compared are clearly defined and quantifiable to avoid ambiguity. For example, "Choose the option with the fewer steps, whichever is lower."

Common error

Avoid using "lower" when comparing non-numerical concepts. While "lower" is appropriate for amounts or values, use "less" or another suitable adjective for abstract qualities.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "whichever is lower" functions as a determiner phrase introducing a condition. It is typically used to specify a limit or a constraint in a decision-making process, indicating that the lesser of two amounts or values should be selected.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

10%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "whichever is lower" is a common and grammatically correct construction used to specify the selection of the smaller value between two options. It appears frequently in news, scientific, and formal business contexts, highlighting its versatility and broad applicability. As Ludwig AI explains, it functions as a determiner phrase, setting a maximum limit or ensuring cost-effectiveness. Alternative phrases like "whichever is less" or "the lesser of the two" can be used depending on the context and desired level of formality. When using this phrase, it's crucial to ensure clarity and compare quantifiable items to avoid ambiguity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

whichever is less

Direct synonym, maintaining the same grammatical structure and meaning.

whichever is smaller

Another direct synonym, emphasizing size rather than amount.

the lower of the two

Very similar, but slightly more specific to numerical or quantifiable values.

the lesser of the two

More formal and literary, implying a choice between two distinct options.

whichever is the minimum

Rephrasing to emphasize the choice of the smallest or least amount.

the smaller amount

More concise and direct, suitable for informal contexts.

not exceeding

Formal way of setting an upper limit, similar to choosing the lower value.

the minimum value

Focuses on the result of the comparison, the lowest possible value.

at the very least

Implies a minimum acceptable value, similar in concept but different in structure.

up to

Specifies a maximum limit, aligning with the concept of choosing the lower value.

FAQs

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

Use "whichever is lower" to indicate a selection between two quantifiable options where the smaller value is preferred or applicable. For example, "The fee will be £10 or 5% of the total, "whichever is lower"."

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

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

Is "whichever is lower" grammatically correct?

Yes, "whichever is lower" is grammatically correct and commonly used in both formal and informal writing to indicate a choice between two values where the lesser amount applies.

When is it appropriate to use "whichever is lower"?

It's appropriate when you have two specific numerical values or quantities, and you want to indicate that the smaller of the two will be chosen or applied. For example, "The shipping cost is $5 or 2% of the order total, "whichever is lower"".