How to Use less in a Sentence

less

1 of 2 adjective

• We need less talk and more work!
• We made it there in less than six hours.
• The whole procedure takes less than five minutes.
• She finished in less time than I did.
• The illness affects less than one percent of the population.
• Less detail is sometimes better than more detail.
• The court is less than half the size of a tennis court.
  — Phil Diehl, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2023
• Both charges are felonies as the suspect was less than 21.
  — cleveland, 2 Sep. 2023
• This sale will only last for the month of May, though—and even less time for flash sale items.
  — Samantha Jones, countryliving.com, 17 May 2023
• Rather than more speech, the result will be worse speech, less speech, or even no speech.
  — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 30 Oct. 2023
• This is a lot of yield in a sector that, sadly, pays less than 1% at large...
  — Brett Owens, Forbes, 17 July 2023
• The number of people being laid off is said to be less than 10.
  — Joe Otterson, Variety, 6 Oct. 2023
• And the presumption is that tall shortstops have less range.
  — Evan Grant, Dallas News, 29 May 2023
• In one part of Long Island in New York, 5 inches of rain fell in less than two hours.
  — Claire Moses, BostonGlobe.com, 17 July 2023
• As a result, people taking the drug feel full longer and eat less.
  — WIRED, 11 Nov. 2023
• The pic is falling off 39 percent or less, a strong hold for a film that many had written off.
  — Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 June 2023
• Then one button stows the roof under a hatch at the rear of the cockpit in just 12 seconds, less than half the time of the next-best Mercedes.
  — Patrick Bedard, Car and Driver, 19 Aug. 2023
• My kids constantly chase it around the house laughing, and the $150 price tag costs less than a day of daycare for them.
  — Li Goldstein, Bon Appétit, 10 Nov. 2023
• Each of these Amazon picks is less than $30, and droves of birds will be fighting over your feeders in no time.
  — Stephanie Osmanski, Southern Living, 27 Mar. 2024
• For 12 days, we were marooned at home — with out-of-town company, no less.
  — Hollace Ava Weiner, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 27 Jan. 2024
• Just imagine a world where the journey from Los Angeles to Tokyo takes less than two hours.
  — Sassie Duggleby, Fortune, 15 Mar. 2024
• Cars that cost less than that attract an import duty of 60%.
  — Niharika Sharma, Quartz, 17 May 2023
• Or for even less of a lift, nab a iRobot Roomba robotic vacuum and mop for a full $200 off.
  — Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 23 Nov. 2023
• The shoot took about six hours, including rush-hour traffic; less than two minutes of the footage would be used in the final cut.
  — Andrew Marantz, The New Yorker, 17 July 2023
• With more speed than most and less power than almost anybody, turn ‘em loose.
  — Paul Hoynes, cleveland, 19 Aug. 2023
• Be sure to center soft browns and pinks pulled from a palette that suits your complexion—and when in doubt, less is more.
  — Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 6 Oct. 2023
• This means that with every stroke of the cheese against the stainless steel grater more food is grated, which means less time and effort on your part.
  — Belle Duchene, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 Feb. 2024
• The call came from 1280 Monument Road, less than a mile from Mexico.
  — Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Mar. 2024
• Lamar and Cole have less of a public track record, but the North Carolina rapper’s admiration has always been palpable.
  — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024
• By playlist arrives less than a month after Grande released her latest studio album, eternal sunshine.
  — Kristin Robinson, Billboard, 27 Mar. 2024

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less

2 of 2 adverb

• Which test is the less difficult of the two?
• This test seemed much less difficult than the last one.
• She visits much less often than she used to.
• Their band is less concerned with making music than with making money.
• Do you have another one that's less expensive?
• They're focusing more on quality and less on quantity.
• The bill in New York could make that picture a bit less grim.
  — Kate Aronoff, The New Republic, 9 June 2023
• The buyers are less willing to take risks than prior to the strike.
  — Wendy Lee, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024
• And where air can flow, things such as shirts and trousers are less likely to stick to the body and sop with sweat.
  — Todd Plummer, Robb Report, 31 May 2023
• Use mulch to keep the ground moist and less attractive to egg-laying adults.
  — oregonlive, 10 June 2023
• All are renowned in the business, but some are less well known to the general public.
  — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 14 Jan. 2024
• The illness' past hallmarks, such as a dry cough or the loss of sense of taste or smell, have become less common.
  — Aria Bendix, NBC News, 16 Sep. 2023
• More adults are getting news from less varnished sources.
  — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 28 Mar. 2024
• Now that fans and players have gotten used to that, the season should be a bit less disruptive.
  — Chris Morris, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
• Investment is low, and that means less good, quality jobs in the rest of the economy.
  — Morgan Meaker, WIRED, 9 Apr. 2024
• Gomez — dressed in a chic white shirt and jeans — pretended to take a bite of the buttery treat, while Gracie looked less impressed.
  — Jenny Haward, Peoplemag, 23 June 2023
• Share [Findings] Men who pose for photos with cats are seen as less datable.
  — Ben Lerner, Harper's Magazine, 3 Jan. 2024
• Plastic bottles tend to be lighter in weight and less expensive.
  — Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 6 Oct. 2023
• Martínez’s second appearance at the Met Gala is far less nerve-wracking than his first.
  — Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 21 June 2023
• What to Consider The backpack is on the longer side, so may be less comfortable for shorter users.
  — Taylor Fox, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 2023
• For a less expensive style, this CureCure pick is the best heated blanket for your home.
  — Erica Reagle, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 June 2023
• The goal is for builders to work with city planners to site their homes, pools and garages in a way that is less harmful to the environment and animals.
  — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2023
• Often heavier poles are sturdier and less likely to bend and/or break.
  — Lindsey Lapointe, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024
• His mother couldn’t pay the bills, lost her apartment, moved to less expensive apartments but couldn’t afford the rent in those.
  — Diane Bell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 June 2023
• And the location of the crash — on a flat airport runway — meant that the aircraft was less likely to break up and cause further injuries or deaths.
  — Naomi Schanen, Washington Post, 3 Jan. 2024
• The crewneck sweatshirt is bound to feel less bulky than a hoodie, complete with ribbed hems and fabric that keeps moisture at bay.
  — Alyssa Grabinski, Peoplemag, 4 Mar. 2024
• Just because some parts of a family feel less healthy, doesn’t mean the whole family is unhealthy.
  — Sahaj Kaur Kohli, Washington Post, 23 Nov. 2023
• At least so far, consequences in other states and school districts have been less severe.
  — Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 28 Mar. 2024
• In the Los Angeles-Long Beach metro area, a gallon of regular self-serve gasoline costs a few pennies less on average than in the rest of the state: $5.34.
  — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 9 Apr. 2024
• Shorter cruises may also lend themselves more to a party atmosphere and be less kid-friendly.
  — Nathan Diller, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024

Last Updated: 9 Jun 2024