# less

/ˈɫɛs/ (US) · /lˈɛs/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/less
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. smaller amount

determiner · CEFR A2

a smaller amount of something that you cannot count.

For teachers: a smaller amount or quantity of an uncountable substance or abstract concept.

- I try to spend less money on coffee and save for my holiday.
- The new engine design requires significantly less maintenance than the previous model, leading to lower long-term costs for the airline.

### 2. to a smaller degree

adverb · CEFR A2

used to say that something is not as much as it was before or not as much as something else.

For teachers: to a smaller extent or degree; used as a comparative modifier for adjectives and other adverbs.

- This exercise is less difficult than the one we did yesterday.
- The second half of the film was less engaging than the first, failing to maintain the tension established in the opening scenes.

### 3. minus

preposition · CEFR B2 · Formal

minus or taking away a specific amount.

For teachers: minus; reduced by the subtraction of a specified amount or item.

- The total cost is fifty pounds, less a five-pound discount.
- The final settlement amount will be the gross profit less any administrative expenses incurred during the fiscal year.

### 4. a smaller quantity

noun · CEFR B1

a smaller amount of something.

For teachers: a smaller amount, quantity, or portion of something previously mentioned.

- He expected a lot of help, but he received much less.
- While some investors hoped for a significant return, they ultimately had to settle for much less due to the market downturn.

## Examples

- I try to spend less money on coffee.
- The new engine design uses significantly less fuel while providing the same amount of power.
- The architect argued that using less ornamentation would actually enhance the building's structural beauty, following the famous principle that less is more.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.