as in lesser
a smaller number of
I take fewer (and fewer) vacations every year. He teaches many fewer classes than I do.
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Recent Examples of fewer
Exactly half of the league’s games had been decided by five points or fewer over the first three weeks of competition.
—
Nick Moyle, San Antonio Express-News, 21 Jan. 2023
The Ravens set a record for fewest points allowed (165) in a 16-game regular season in 2000 and then held each playoff opponent to 10 points or fewer on their way to a 34-7 win over the New York Giants in Tampa, Florida, in Super Bowl XXXV.
—Hayes Gardner, Baltimore Sun, 19 Jan. 2023
Another possible explanation is that later in the first two years of the pandemic, there may have also been fewer deaths than expected in some areas because some of the least healthy people in the area had already died of COVID-19.
—Dielle Lundberg, Fortune, 26 Jan. 2023
What's happening now is a lot of transmission, fewer deaths and hospitalizations, but a lot of transmission.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 21 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for fewer
Nick Moyle, San Antonio Express-News, 21 Jan. 2023
The Ravens set a record for fewest points allowed (165) in a 16-game regular season in 2000 and then held each playoff opponent to 10 points or fewer on their way to a 34-7 win over the New York Giants in Tampa, Florida, in Super Bowl XXXV.
—Hayes Gardner, Baltimore Sun, 19 Jan. 2023
Another possible explanation is that later in the first two years of the pandemic, there may have also been fewer deaths than expected in some areas because some of the least healthy people in the area had already died of COVID-19.
—Dielle Lundberg, Fortune, 26 Jan. 2023
What's happening now is a lot of transmission, fewer deaths and hospitalizations, but a lot of transmission.
—Taylor Wilson, USA TODAY, 21 Jan. 2023
See All Example Sentences for fewer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for fewer
Adjective
-
Toronto’s Fred VanVleet appears to be the top target, but Miami’s Kyle Lowry, Utah’s Mike Conley and, perhaps to a lesser extent, Charlotte’s Terry Rozier have been linked to the team at various points.—
Staff Writer
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2023
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The story of 2022 (and 2021 to a lesser extent) was energy.—
Nicole Goodkind,
CNN,
31 Jan. 2023
Adjective
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Going directly from cooking inside the house and only trying my own food to trying small restaurants and traveling within a week’s span was a blessing.—
Kenneth J. Williams Jr,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
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On a sunny morning in late June, his exercise regimen began with small steps: His right foot keeping pace with the treadmill, his left foot stationary, off to the side.—
Michael Collins,
USA Today,
18 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Fewer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/fewer. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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