comparison
Use fewer and less correctly in everyday writing without sounding stiff.
Use fewer with countable items. Use less with uncountable amounts.
Time, money, and distance often use less in everyday usage: less than 10 minutes, less than 5 miles.
Ask: can I count individual units? If yes, choose fewer. If no, choose less.
Use this quick matrix to compare core words in this guide and jump directly into deeper lookup pages.
Example sentences pulled from our lexical corpus to show natural context.
fewer
Are you creating for us a future world where there is a greater danger of skin cancer, weakened bodies, less food and fewer plants and animals?
less
Though Alfred is scrupulous in fulfilling his duties at work, he is less conscientious about his obligations at home.
many
There are many words that I don't understand.
much
If you look at the lyrics, they don't really mean much.
It is common in signage. Formal copy usually prefers "10 items or fewer.".
Percentages can take either form depending on whether the noun is countable.