FEWER

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does fewer mean? 

• FEWER (adjective)
  The adjective FEWER has 1 sense:

1. (comparative of 'few' used with count nouns) quantifier meaning a smaller number of

  Familiarity information: FEWER used as an adjective is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• FEWER (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

(comparative of 'few' used with count nouns) quantifier meaning a smaller number of

Context example:

fewer trains were late

Similar:

less ((nonstandard in some uses but often idiomatic with measure phrases) fewer)

Also:

few (a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by 'a'; a small but indefinite number)

less ((comparative of 'little' usually used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning not as great in amount or degree)

Domain usage:

comparative; comparative degree (the comparative form of an adjective or adverb)

Antonym:

more ((comparative of 'many' used with count nouns) quantifier meaning greater in number)

 Context examples 

Patients have no anemia or thrombocytopenia and fewer than three areas of lymphoid involvement.

(Binet Stage A, NCI Thesaurus)

Balaglitazone exerts partial peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma agonistic activity and appears to be associated with fewer side effects as compared to full PPAR gamma agonists.

(Balaglitazone, NCI Thesaurus)

These small tubes may be narrow or have an abnormal shape, or there may be fewer of them than normal.

(Alagille syndrome, NCI Dictionary)

Spontaneous tumors 46% testes, 16% adrenal, 5% pituitary, 6% skin and ear duct and fewer of other types in males; 21% pituitary, 13% uterus, 11% mammary gland, 6% adrenal and fewer of other types in females.

(ACI, Rat Strain, NCI Thesaurus)

Individuals who harbor cancer-predisposing genes require fewer somatic mutations for transformation of a particular cell, thereby predisposing them to the development of cancer.

(Cancer-Predisposing Gene, NCI Thesaurus)

Carboplatin is a form of the anticancer drug cisplatin and causes fewer side effects in patients.

(Carboplatin, NCI Dictionary)

A form of the anticancer drug paclitaxel combined with a protein called poliglumex that may have fewer side effects and work better than paclitaxel.

(CT-2103, NCI Dictionary)

A phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia in which fewer than 10% of the cells in the blood and bone marrow are blast cells (immature blood cells).

(Chronic phase chronic myelogenous leukemia, NCI Dictionary)

It also causes fewer side effects because very little of the drug reaches other parts of the body.

(Chemoembolization, NCI Dictionary)

Abraxane is a form of the anticancer drug paclitaxel and may cause fewer side effects than paclitaxel.

(Abraxane, NCI Dictionary)