much less

Idioms  

1. And certainly not, as in He rarely talks about his outside activities, much less his family. The earliest record of this idiom is in John Milton's Paradise Lost (1671): “The world thou hast not seen, much less her glory.”

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Example Sentences

The former is much less complicated than the latter.

From Slate • Apr. 1, 2026

In short, while there are three more quarters for equities to turn things around, many investors may be feeling much less bullish than they did at the start of the year.

From Barron's • Mar. 30, 2026

The cells produced much less nitric oxide, which helps blood vessels relax and widen, and more endothelin-1, which causes vessels to tighten.

From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 2026

The reason lies in the "red diesel" farmers use, which is taxed much less to support agricultural use.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

It was much less crowded in the bakery than on the Fourth of July.

From "From the Desk of Zoe Washington" by Janae Marks