- to a smaller degree; not so much
- less expensive/likely/intelligent
- less often/enthusiastically
- less than… I read much less now than I used to.
- The receptionist was less than (= not at all) helpful.
- She wasn't any the less happy for (= she was perfectly happy) being on her own.
- That this is a positive stereotype makes it no less a stereotype, and therefore unacceptable.
Oxford Collocations DictionaryLess is used with these adjectives:- able
- evident
- inclined
- …
Word OriginOld English lǣssa, of Germanic origin; related to Old Frisian lēssa, from an Indo-European root shared by Greek loisthos ‘last’.
Idioms
See less in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee less in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishless and less
- continuing to become smaller in amount
- She found the job less and less attractive.
more or less
- almost
- I've more or less finished the book.
- approximately
- She could earn $200 a night, more or less.
much/still less
- and certainly not
- No explanation was offered, still less an apology.
- He’s too shy to ask a stranger the time, much less speak to a room full of people.
Check pronunciation:
less