less than

Idioms  

1. 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.

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

less than

She said the site used to have over 500 birds in its captive collection - but, in part due to avian influenza, today there are less than 100.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

He was consistently playing at less than 100%, missing time and never really finding a groove.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

It leads by a large margin among those making less than $100,000 and renters, while trailing among the affluent and homeowners.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

“Katie Zacharia had less than 24 hours to prepare for her inaugural briefing, as she juggled a cross-country move, and only received briefing materials this morning,” the Wall Street Journal reported.

From Salon ● Oct. 16, 2026

She had even been up on the mountain in February, less than a month before it began to erupt.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

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