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less
1[ les ]
adverb
- to a smaller extent, amount, or degree:
less exact.
- most certainly not (often preceded by much or still ):
He could barely pay for his own lodging, much less for that of his friend.
- in any way different; other:
He is nothing less than a thief.
adjective
- smaller in size, amount, degree, etc.; not so large, great, or much:
less money; less speed.
- lower in consideration, rank, or importance:
no less a person than the manager.
less than a dozen.
noun
- a smaller amount or quantity:
Hundreds of soldiers arrived, but less of them remained.
- something inferior or not as important:
He was tortured for less.
-less
2- an adjective suffix meaning “without” ( childless; peerless ), and in adjectives derived from verbs, indicating failure or inability to perform or be performed ( resistless; tireless ).
-less
1suffix forming adjectives
- without; lacking
speechless
- not able to (do something) or not able to be (done, performed, etc)
countless
less
2/ lɛs /
determiner
- the comparative of little
less spirit than before
less sugar
- ( as pronoun; functioning as sing or plural )
she has less than she needs
the less you eat, the less you want
- usually preceded by no lower in rank or importance
St James the Less
no less a man than the president
- no less informal.used to indicate surprise or admiration, often sarcastic, at the preceding statement
she says she's been to Italy, no less
- less ofto a smaller extent or degree
we see less of John these days
less of a success than I'd hoped
adverb
- the comparative of little (sense 1)
less beautiful
she walks less than she should
less quickly
- much less or still lessused to reinforce a negative
we don't like it, still less enjoy it
- think less ofto have a lower opinion of
preposition
- subtracting; minus
three weeks less a day
Usage
Confusables Note
Word History and Origins
Word History and Origins
Origin of less1
Origin of less2
Idioms and Phrases
- less than, by far short of being; not in the least; hardly at all:
The job is less than perfect.
More idioms and phrases containing less
In addition to the idiom beginning with less , also see couldn't care less ; in (less than) no time ; more or less ; much less .Synonym Study
Example Sentences
Submission is less a novel of ideas than a political book, and of the most subversive kind.
Back in New York, the slow pace and inward focus of her yoga practice was less fulfilling.
For many years afterward it was a never-ending topic of conversation, and is more or less talked of even to this day.
No one wants to align with less freedom at a time like this.
The pulps brought new readers to serious fiction, making it less intimidating with alluring art and low prices.
In less than ten minutes, the bivouac was broken up, and our little army on the march.
He was too drowsy to hold the thought more than a moment in his mind, much less to reflect upon it.
He did believe you, more or less, and what you said fell in with his own impressions—strange impressions that they were, poor man!
One would not have wanted her white neck a mite less full or her beautiful arms more slender.
With childlike confidence he follows the advice of some more or less honest dealer.
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More About Less
What is a basic definition of less?
Less refers to a comparatively smaller amount, quantity, or degree and can be used in this sense as an adverb, adjective, or noun. Less has several other senses as an adverb, adjective, noun, and a preposition.
Less is a comparative form of the word little, with the word least being the superlative. If something is described as less, it is “more little” than something else. Specifically, less by itself often means a smaller number or amount rather than physical size.
Less can be used in this sense as an adverb, adjective, or a noun. Because less is a comparative, it must be used to compare two or more things to make sense. For example, “This house is less” makes no sense by itself. You might wonder. “Less what?” When we include the item we are comparing the house to, you can understand what we mean: That house is really expensive, but this house costs less.
- Real-life examples: Used cars often cost less than new ones. You will earn less money in your first job than in your last job. You might start out with a lot of questions, but as you learn you may have less.
- Used in a sentence: I really need to start eating less.
We want to make sure nobody gets less food than anyone else.
When it comes to using pink paint, less is more.
The word less is often confused with the word fewer. For the most part, you can use the words less and fewer as synonyms when comparing amounts of things.
However, less can compare abstract, uncountable qualities, while fewer cannot. For example, one dog can be said to be less playful than another, but it cannot be said to be “fewer playful” than another.
Where does less come from?
The first records of less come from before 900. It ultimately comes from the Old English adverb lǣs and adjective lǣssa. It is related to the Old Frisian adverb lês and adjective lêssa.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to less?
- lesser (adverb and adjective)
What are some synonyms for less?
What are some words that share a root or word element with less?
What are some words that often get used in discussing less?
What are some words less may be commonly confused with?
How is less used in real life?
Less is an incredibly common word that is most often used to describe something having a smaller or lower degree, amount, or quantity.
I really need to get hobbies that cost less money…
— Ashlee Spring (@summerannspring) February 1, 2021
I haven't been less excited for a Super Bowl since…..ever. Is this typical for fans of the team that fall one game short?
— The CoolTechDad (@TheCoolTechDad) February 1, 2021
You'll be seeing less of me on Twitter when the temperature finally breaks 50 degrees, which I believe will now happen in mid-July.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 20, 2015
Try using less!
True or False?
A chair that costs $30 is less expensive than one that costs $20.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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