Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

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.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

For three years, Edwards and his wife earned a combined income of less than $100,000.

From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026

“We took meaningful market share in less than 12 months, especially in the U.S.”

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

It requires close contact of less than one meter for 30 minutes, he said, adding that hantavirus is "much less transmissible" than Covid-19 or the flu.

From Barron's • May 15, 2026

Homes for Ukraine was set up in in March 2022, less than a month after Russia's full scale invasion.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

I don’t even remember taking my pajamas off, but I was in my uniform and following Sam out the door at a run in less than a minute.

From "Glitch" by Laura Martin

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Look it up. Learn it forever.

Remember "less than" for good with VocabTrainer. Expand your vocabulary effortlessly with personalized learning tools that adapt to your goals.

Take me to Vocabulary.com