Synonyms

fewer

American

[fyoo-er] / ˈfyu ər /

adjective

of a smaller number.

fewer words and more action.

pronoun

(used with a plural verb) a smaller number.

Fewer have come than we hoped.

Commonly Confused

See less.

Etymology

Origin of fewer

Middle English feue, feawe. fewe fewere, Old English fēawera, genitive plural of fēawa few; -er ⁴ ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Five times during USC’s conference schedule, he has played fewer than 20 minutes in a game, for one reason or another.

From Los Angeles Times

It also launched strikes, if fewer of them, on Jordan, Iraq, Syria and perhaps even Cyprus.

From The Wall Street Journal

Like special elections, midterm contests tend to turn out fewer but more engaged voters than presidential years.

From Salon

After years of progress, fewer pregnant Americans are getting prenatal care in the first weeks of pregnancy — or getting access to care at all.

From Salon

Early nesting birds have lost eggs, and conservationists warn spring may bring noticeably fewer butterflies and insects as floodwaters have swept away eggs and overwintering larvae.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023