less than

phrase

: by no means : not at all

less than honest in his replies

Examples of less than in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Chinese manufacturers supplied less than 3% of Europe’s new turbines last year, according to the Global Wind Energy Council. — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026

That her means of exit is abandoning her newborn twins is less than sympathetic, but in a different era Cathy would have options beyond a domesticity that never suited her in the first place. — Alison Herman, Variety, 1 Oct. 2026

The plane descended sharply, losing half its altitude in less than two minutes, before other crew members took control of the Boeing 737 Max and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. — Victoria Craw, Washington Post, 1 Oct. 2026

Focus on production at scale The Navy describes Blackbeard as a highly maneuverable hypersonic weapon designed to meet an operational requirement while costing less than some existing high-end systems. — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for less than

• afghan
• bedpan
• began
• caveman
• chapin
• cyan
• deadpan
• dextran
• divan
• doorman
• fishman
• flagman