less and less

phrase

: to a progressively smaller size or extent

Examples of less and less in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The absence of rainfall that typically accompanies monsoon storms this time of year has resulted in wildfire operations needing to be more nimble to ignitions that are less and less predictable. — Joan Meiners, AZCentral.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Williams never officially retired, but as the years passed, a return to tennis seemed less and less likely. — Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 25 Aug. 2026 The models themselves are doing less and less to redirect them to appropriate care pathways. — Arya Rao, STAT, 19 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, degraded working conditions—see, the adjunctification discourse—make academic professionalization less and less sustainable. — Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for less and less

Word History

First Known Use

1637, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of less and less was in 1637

Rhymes for less and less

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Browse Nearby Words

-less
less and less
lesse
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Less and less.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/less%20and%20less. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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