less than
Falling short of
Less than indicates a smaller quantity or degree: The project took less than a week.
In math, the symbol < means less than.
Figuratively, less than can soften a negative assessment: I was less than impressed means disappointed; less than honest means dishonest.
The phrase tactfully understates criticism.
Of reduced magnitude
minus · beneath · short of · south of · subpar · underneath · diminished · reduced
One lower in rank
- secondaryLesser in rank
- minorScale with lowered third
- lowlyModest in status
- substandardBelow required quality
second-rate · mediocre · subpar · wanting · lacking · deficient · unequal · outranked
Deficient supply of necessities
- lackDeficiency or absence
- deficitAmount still owed
- shortfallFailure to reach quota
- inadequacyState of being insufficient
scarcity · deficiency · insufficiency · paucity · dearth · gap · undersupply · want
smaller
Of reduced magnitude
below · minus · beneath · short of · south of · subpar · underneath · diminished · reduced · decreased
subordinate
One lower in rank
substandard · second-rate · mediocre · subpar · wanting · lacking · deficient · unequal · outranked · outclassed
shortage
Deficient supply of necessities
inadequacy · scarcity · deficiency · insufficiency · paucity · dearth · gap · undersupply · want · need
- subtractionminus, subtraction, minus sign, minuend, difference
- number sensenumber sense, counting, numeracy, number recognition, number line
- comparison symbolsnot equal
- basic mathsubtraction, multiplying, dividing, adding, subtracting
- symbolssymbols, runes, symbol, asterisks, national symbol
- ASCII characterscomma, period, space, question mark, exclamation mark
less thanmore than
In excess of
greater than · exceeding · in excess of · at least · no less than
less, least, lessen, than, lesser, lessening, lessened, lessens