Synonyms

less than

Idioms

Not at all or hardly at all. For example, He had a less than favorable view of the matter, or She had a less than adequate grasp of the subject. This expression uses less in the sense of “a smaller quantity, number, or extent than is implied,” a usage dating from about a.d. 1000. The same sense appears in less than no time, a hyperbolic term for a very short time (as in Don't worry, he'll be here in less than no time) that dates from about 1800.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But even the most optimistic estimates value this part of SpaceX at around $300bn - less than 20% of SpaceX's $1.75trn target valuation.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Leopold Aschenbrenner had no professional investing experience when he launched his AI-focused firm, Situational Awareness, less than two years ago, with a few hundred million dollars.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

That is less than the 801,000 teen jobs that employers added last summer — the weakest on record for teen hiring.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 8, 2026

The Secret Service plans to deploy counter-drone technology as part of its operation to protect the US leader, who has faced three alleged assassination attempts in less than two years.

From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026

“You’ve got less than ten days to get to the starting line!”

From "Will’s Race for Home" by Jewell Parker Rhodes

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023