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

The 2024 season's Most Valuable Player was almost intercepted as he launched a hopeful pass into the endzone with less than two minutes remaining.

From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026

Novel materials allow the helmets to weigh less than their competitors, which Esayian said reduces the energy associated with “head whip”—the motion of a player’s head after impact.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

One challenge is that reliable instrumental climate records cover less than a century.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 13, 2026

Trump carried the district as drawn now by less than 2 percentage points in 2024.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

“New Orleans is less than two hours away. We’ll go and come back same day.”

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold