Looking for synonyms for less than? We’ve got you covered!
Here’s a list of other ways to say less than.
- Fewer than
- Under
- Below
- Short of
- Not as much as
- Lower than
- Beneath
- Not exceeding
- Subordinate to
- Inferior to
- Smaller than
- Less
- Not up to
- Not more than
- Not over
- Within
- Shy of
- Slightly below
- Just under
- Nearly but not quite
Want to learn how to say less than professionally? Keep reading for examples and use cases.
1. Fewer than
Use when quantifying countable items.
Example: “The team has fewer than ten members.”
2. Under
Appropriate for general references to being below a quantity or level.
Example: “Under 50% of customers have tried the new feature.”
3. Below
Use when emphasizing a position or number lower than a certain point.
Example: “The temperature dropped below freezing overnight.”
4. Short of
Ideal for indicating a deficit or lack compared to a requirement or expectation.
Example: “The project’s results fell short of our expectations.”
5. Not as much as
Use to compare quantities, indicating one is smaller.
Example: “The budget allocation is not as much as it was last year.”
6. Lower than
Suitable for comparisons where one quantity or value is lesser.
Example: “Our costs are lower than our competitors’.”
7. Beneath
Use to denote something that is at a lower level or position.
Example: “The storage capacity is beneath what the application requires.”
8. Not exceeding
Appropriate for specifying a maximum limit.
Example: “The attendance should be not exceeding 100 people due to space limitations.”
9. Subordinate to
Use in contexts of hierarchy or importance, where something is lesser.
Example: “This matter is subordinate to the main goal of customer satisfaction.”
10. Inferior to
Ideal for comparative scenarios where quality or value is lesser.
Example: “The prototype is inferior to our initial design expectations.”
11. Smaller than
Use when referring to size or scale.
Example: “The mobile version of the website appears smaller than the desktop version.”
12. Less
Suitable for general references to a smaller quantity or degree.
Example: “We need to use less resources to stay within budget.”
13. Not up to
Use to indicate something that doesn’t meet a certain standard.
Example: “The performance was not up to the company’s usual standards.”
14. Not more than
Appropriate for specifying a maximum limit or extent.
Example: “The meeting will last not more than one hour.”
15. Not over
Use to denote an upper limit.
Example: “Ensure the file size is not over 2MB.”
16. Within
Ideal for indicating something is inside a certain range or limit.
Example: “Complete the task within the allocated budget.”
17. Shy of
Use to suggest a small amount less than a round number or benchmark.
Example: “The project was completed just shy of the deadline.”
18. Slightly below
Suitable for indicating a small difference below a certain level.
Example: “The results were slightly below our projections.”
19. Just under
Use for amounts or figures that are almost at a certain level but not quite.
Example: “The total cost came to just under $500.”
20. Nearly but not quite
Appropriate for emphasizing closeness to a certain level without reaching it.
Example: “The attendance was nearly but not quite at full capacity.”
