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

About 1,500 feet of the road is less than 100 feet from the edge of the bluff, Seemann said, and at least two areas are less than 25 feet from the dropoff.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

Getting less than 0.7 hours, or 42 minutes, of bright daytime light daily was a stronger predictor of dementia than 6 established dementia risk factors.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026

The worst-case scenario isn’t as bad, but it’s still pretty lousy: 1.6% a year, or less than 40% total over 20 years.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026

When McGonagle joined the team, it had "less than 1,000 subscribers and minimal views".

From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026

Arthur “Pickie” Greeley, the five.year-old son of famed New York City publisher Horace Greeley, died of cholera in less than a day.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

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