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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
It's shot up from less than $97 at the start of the month on uncertainty about when the war with Iran will allow the global energy industry to return to normal. — Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026 The announcement also lands less than two weeks before the midterm elections. — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026 Hong ultimately lost the primary election to Crowley by less than a percentage point following Barnes’s withdrawal from the race at the eleventh hour. — Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 22 Oct. 2026 With less than two weeks until the 2026 midterm elections, early votes cast so far serve as one more piece of evidence that Democratic enthusiasm is high in some key states, according to ABC News' analysis. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for less than

Word History

First Known Use

1929, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of less than was in 1929

Rhymes for less than

See All Rhymes for less than

Browse Nearby Words

lessor
less than
less-than-carload
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Less than.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/less%20than. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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