Definition Synonyms
Definition of less - Reverso English Dictionary
Adverb
1.
degreeto a smaller extent or degree
- He exercises less now.
2.
grammarTECH. used to form comparatives of adjectives and adverbsTECH.
- She is less happy than before.
Adjective
1.
quantitynot as great in amount or degree
- She has less money than before.
2.
grammar ruleTECH. used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbsTECH.
- Less important issues can wait until tomorrow..
3.
product ratinglower in quality
- The new model is no less efficient.
Expressions with less
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used to emphasize a preceding adjective or adverb
She was furious, no less because of the deception than the betrayal..
imply understanding without needing more explanation
"I need you to be there at 5." "Say less."
not more than two
The event will last less than three hours.
approximately, about
There were more or less fifty people at the event..
exactly as stated without deviation
He wants ten dollars, no more no less.
to have a lower opinion of someone or something
After the incident, she thought less of him.
express lack of interest or concern about something
I can care less about the latest gossip.
show total lack of interest or concern about something
She could not have cared less about the outcome.
display a complete lack of interest
They couldn't care less about the results.
accept something below desired standard
She didn't want to settle for less in her career.
focusing on essentials leads to better results
Her style shows that less is more.
showing extreme indifference or lack of concern
She cannot care less about the rumors spreading around school.
showing no interest or concern about something
He could have cared less about the meeting.
show no interest or concern about something
I could not care less about the weather today.
showing no interest or concern about something
She couldn't have cared less about the weather forecast.
very quickly or immediately
She finished her homework in less than no time.
doing things too quickly causes delays
He learned the hard way that more haste, less speed.
emphasizing the importance or extreme quality of something
Her performance was nothing less than spectacular.
uncommon choice or path not taken by most people
He always takes the road less traveled in life.
better not talk much about something uncomfortable or bad
The less said the better about last night's party.
having less leads to more appreciation or value
The less clutter, the more peace you feel.
stop being rude or disrespectful to someone
Less of your cheek, young man!
not reaching a specified amount or number
The total cost was less than ten dollars..
not as much or as many
There is less of sugar in this recipe.
Origin of less
Old English, lǣssa (less)
Terms with less included in their meaning
💡 A powerful way to uncover related words, idioms, and expressions linked by the same idea — and explore meaning beyond exact word matches.
less expensive
costing less money
simplicity
requiring less effort or difficulty
physical size
having less length or height than another
size
having less size than something else
age comparison
having less age compared to another
numerical value
being one less than one hundred
measurement
less than a certain amount or number
temperature
make something cooler or less warm
lighting
make or become less bright or clear
weight
having less weight or being less heavy
emotion
calm down or become less tense
product risk
less likely to cause harm or injury
decelerate
become less fast or active
quantity
less than a certain number or amount
minimum
not less than a specific amount
cause temperature
cause something to become less hot
weight
make something less heavy
weight
become less heavy
reduce tightness
make less tight or fixed
physical objects
become less tight or firm
noise request
please be quieter and make less noise
lower fat
milk containing less fat than whole milk
gentle texture
make something less hard
more gentle
become less hard
Examples of less in a sentence
The project cost less than expected. He is less confident than his peers. This model is less efficient than the previous one. There are less options available now. He felt less pressure after the meeting. She felt less confident after the critique.
Less crowded places are often more peaceful. This version is less reliable than the previous one. The less durable material wore out quickly.
View all translations of less
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:moins, inférieur, ...
- German:weniger, geringer, ...
- Italian:meno, inferiore, ...
- Spanish:menos, inferior, ...
- Portuguese:menos, ...
- Chinese:较少, 较少的, ...
- Japanese:あまり, 少ない, ...
- Arabic:أَقَلّ, أقل جودة, ...
- Hebrew:פָּחוֹת, פָּחוּת, ...
- Russian:меньше, меньший, ...
- Ukrainian:менше, менший, ...
- Hindi:कम, अल्प, ...
Definition of little - Reverso English Dictionary
Adjective
1.
measurementsmall in size or amount
- She has a little dog.
2.
ageyoung or younger in age
- My little brother is five years old.
3.
importanceinsignificant or unimportant
- It's just a little problem.
4.
- Look at that little kitten!
Adverb
1.
measurementto a small extent or degree
- She was little interested in the topic.
2.
negationUK not at all or hardlyUK
- He little knew what was coming.
Noun
1.
young childUS child, especially an infantUS
- The little was sleeping peacefully in the crib.
2.
- She became a little in the sorority last semester.
Expressions with little
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small bird
I saw a little bird perched on the window sill..
fish small in size
I caught a little fish in the pond.
smaller spoon used for stirring or eating
She stirred her coffee with a little spoon..
small representation or embodiment of a devil
The statue was a little devil with horns.
appreciate minor achievements or events
He believes in celebrating the little things, like finishing a book.
in a short time from now
The meeting will start in a little while.
gradually over time
She improved her skills little by little..
very small or negligible amount
The reward was little or nothing compared to the effort.
if luck is on our side, success is possible
With a little luck, we'll finish on time.
be only weakly connected or involved with someone or something
This decision has little to do with our original plan.
a small amount is enough
When using hot sauce, a little goes a long way.
recognize the importance of minor aspects
He began to appreciate the little things that made his job enjoyable.
small contributions can make a big difference
Every little thing helps when raising money for charity.
have minimal influence in decisions or outcomes
In the meeting, I had very little say.
in a state of deep thought that makes the thinker appear disconnected from reality
She was in her own little world during the meeting.
have minimal impact or effect on an outcome
Your opinion counts for very little in this decision.
show or describe something very clearly and explicitly
The movie leaves little to the imagination in its graphic scenes.
small book for recording personal contacts
He keeps all his friends' numbers in a little black book.
small alien with green skin
The movie featured a little green man from Mars.
small lie told to avoid hurting feelings
She told a little white lie to spare his feelings.
consider something to be unimportant or insignificant
She thinks little of his opinion on the matter.
easily control or influence someone by persuasion or charm
She can twist him around her little finger with a smile.
have control over someone by charming or manipulating them
She can wind anyone around her little finger with a smile..
successfully control or influence someone for a long time
She can wrap her boss around her little finger easily.
Origin of little
Old English, lȳtel (small)
Examples of little in a sentence
He gave me a little piece of cake. She wore a little dress for her birthday. The little puppy followed me home. He dismissed the issue as a little concern. The little details were overlooked in the report. Her little puppy followed her everywhere.
He gave his little sister a hug. The project was little affected by the delay. He was little aware of the consequences. She little realized the impact of her words. They little suspected the truth behind the rumors. The little was giggling at the funny clown. A little was playing in the sandbox. He was thrilled to be chosen as a little this year. Every little in the fraternity received a mentor.
View all translations of little
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:petit, peu, ...
- German:klein, wenig, ...
- Italian:piccolo, poco, ...
- Spanish:pequeño, poco, ...
- Portuguese:pequeno, pouco, ...
- Chinese:少量的, 不太, ...
- Japanese:小さな, ほとんど, ...
- Arabic:صَغِير, قَلِيلًا, ...
- Hebrew:קָטָן, מְעַט, ...
- Russian:маленький, мало, ...
- Ukrainian:маленький, мало, ...
- Hindi:छोटा, थोड़ी, ...
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