Basic+ Word of the Day: less

less (adjective)

"I bought this dress for less than the regular price."

Less means ‘smaller in amount, size or degree.’

• Talk less and listen more.
• If you eat less sugar, you may feel better.
• Phyllis weighs less than she did last year.

Don't confuse it with

Many people confuse the adjective fewer with less. Use fewer to modify countable nouns. Example: “There were fewer guests at the party than we expected.” Use less with uncountable nouns. Example: “The guests ate less dessert than we expected.”

Common uses

more or less: approximately. Example: “His analysis was more or less correct.”

Did you know?

The 20th century architect Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe was associated with the expression “Less is more,” which refers to the minimalist style and simple lines of his buildings. The less fancy the buildings are, the more striking they are.

In pop culture

We still get the chills when we hear the Fifth Dimension sing “One Less Bell to Answer.” Watch them perform it on the popular ’70s US TV show Soul Train.

There are other meanings of less.