less than

Idioms and Phrases

Not at all or hardly at all. For example, He had a less than favorable view of the matter , or She had a less than adequate grasp of the subject . This expression uses less in the sense of “a smaller quantity, number, or extent than is implied,” a usage dating from about a.d. 1000. The same sense appears in less than no time , a hyperbolic term for a very short time (as in Don't worry, he'll be here in less than no time ) that dates from about 1800.

Example Sentences

Although California dairy farmers anticipated a bird flu mortality rate of less than 2%, some say between 10% and 15% of infected cattle are dying.

From Los Angeles Times

NASA’s budget for years has hovered around 0.1% of total U.S. gross domestic product — less than one-eighth of its allowance during the mid-1960s.

From Los Angeles Times

One dogecoin that was worth less than 16 cents before Election Day has more than doubled to around 41.5 cents today, The Associated Press reported.

From Salon

Only terminally-ill adults with less than six months to live who have a settled wish to end their lives would be eligible under the new law.

From BBC

He said: "In less than 10 seconds the tug capsized, and two experienced seafarers lost their lives, because of a breakdown of the systems that should have kept them safe."

From BBC