Fewer vs Less | Difference & Examples

The general rule is to use “fewer” with plural, countable nouns (e.g., “fewer water bottles”) and “less” with uncountable nouns (e.g., “less water”). However, there are some exceptions, such as when referring to certain quantities (e.g., “There is less than one mile remaining on our drive”).

Examples: Using fewer in a sentence Examples: Using less in a sentence
I learned fewer practical tips compared to the first class I went to. There’s less ice in the blue cooler, so put the drinks in the red one instead.
Martin had fewer objections than the previous contractor. Tomissa spends less time on social media now that she’s studying for the final exam.
We experienced fewer issues once we established dedicated teams. The project took less effort than we initially imagined.

Fewer meaning

“Fewer” is the comparative form of the word “few” and denotes a smaller number of something compared to something else. For example, in the sentence “There are fewer marbles in jar A compared to jar B,” the word “fewer” indicates that jar A has a smaller number of marbles.

Examples: Using fewer in a sentence
As expected, there are fewer options than there were yesterday.

Fewer students attended the lecture this week.

She made fewer mistakes on her test this time because she studied more.

Less meaning

“Less” is a comparative word that denotes a smaller amount or quantity of something. For example, in the sentence “I felt less stress after the yoga class,” the word “less” indicates a smaller amount of stress compared to before the yoga class.

Examples: Using less in a sentence
This recipe calls for less sugar compared to the first one we tried.

We started later than everyone else, and now we have less time to finish the project.

My younger brother has less interest in sports than our older brother.

When to use fewer vs less

Both “fewer” and “less” can function as the antonyms of the word “more.” Typically, “fewer” is used to modify plural, countable nouns (e.g., “fewer hugs”), whereas “less” is used to describe uncountable nouns (e.g., “less love”).

Examples: Fewer vs less
  • I requested fewer seats because some people couldn’t make it.
  • I requested less seats because some people couldn’t make it.
  • There is less tension between the characters in this episode.
  • There is fewer tension between the characters in this episode.

“Fewer” is typically used with countable nouns, and “less” is typically used with uncountable nouns.

Fewer vs less exceptions

Using “fewer” to modify countable nouns and “less” to modify uncountable nouns can help you avoid mistakes in your writing. However, it’s important to know that there are many exceptions in which “less” is used to modify countable nouns. For example, a professor may request that an essay be “no less than 1,000 words.”

“Less” is often used with specific quantities, especially when referring to distance, money, time, or weight.

Examples: “Less” with countable nouns exceptions 
Distance This route is seven miles less than the other.
Money After spending all day at the theme park, I had less than ten dollars left.
Time We have less than thirty minutes until our flight leaves.
Weight Mike had to lose less than two pounds to make weight before the boxing match.

Please note that the use of “fewer” with some of the countable nouns mentioned above wouldn’t technically be incorrect but would sound unnatural (e.g., “fewer than ten dollars left”).

Additionally, “less” often appears after a number when the noun is implied (e.g., “We had five less than yesterday”), and it is often found after the number “one” (e.g., “That’s one less problem to worry about”).

Fewer vs less with percentages

When using “fewer” and “less” to modify percentages, the general rule applies: use “fewer” to describe percentages of countable nouns and “less” for percentages of uncountable nouns.

Examples: Using fewer vs less with percentages
Percentage of a countable noun: We learned that 10% fewer students preferred online classes this year.

Percentage of an uncountable noun: This recipe requires 20% less sugar because we’re baking a smaller batch of cookies.

Frequently asked questions about fewer vs less

What is the meaning of fewer?

Fewer” is a comparative word that means “smaller number of.” It’s typically used with a countable noun to describe a smaller number of something compared to something else (e.g., “There are fewer people in this line”).

Is it less than or fewer than?

The common guideline is to use “less than” when modifying uncountable nouns (e.g., “less than a gallon left”) and “fewer than” when modifying countable nouns (e.g., “fewer than three people”).

However, there are many exceptions to this rule. For example, when describing time (“less than thirty minutes”) or money (e.g., “less than thirty bucks”), “less” is the standard word to use, although time and money can be divided into countable units.

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Gina Rancaño, BA

Gina holds a Bachelor of Arts in English, as well as a certificate in professional and public writing from Florida International University. When she’s not writing, she spends her time reading.