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

Lopez, 56, and Affleck, 53, purchased the extraordinary property for $60.9 million in May 2023, less than a year after they wed, and quickly set about renovating the estate, reportedly spending millions more to turn it into their dream marital sanctuary.

From MarketWatch

Jokic, meant to be limited to less than 30 minutes in his fourth game back from a 16-game injury absence, played more than 44 minutes.

From Barron's

“It will only operate a fraction of oil production, most likely less than a third,” he said.

From The Wall Street Journal

Today, it has roughly 85,000 employees, with less than 20% of those workers involved in oil activities, said Ivan Freites, a veteran oil workers union leader.

From The Wall Street Journal

Less than two weeks later, the Dodgers responded.

From Los Angeles Times