"fewer opportunities" vs "less opportunities"

Question

"fewer opportunities" vs "less opportunities"

Both 'less opportunities' and 'fewer opportunities' are commonly used, but they have different contexts. 'Less opportunities' is used when referring to uncountable nouns, while 'fewer opportunities' is used with countable nouns. Therefore, the choice between the two depends on whether 'opportunities' is considered countable or uncountable.

Last Updated: March 24, 2024

Use 'fewer opportunities' when talking about a reduced number of opportunities that are considered countable, such as 'fewer opportunities for students.'

Examples:

There are fewer opportunities for students to participate in extracurricular activities.
She has fewer opportunities to showcase her talent in a small town.

Alternatives:

less chances
less options
less possibilities
reduced opportunities
limited opportunities

Use 'less opportunities' when talking about a reduced amount of opportunities that are considered uncountable, such as 'less opportunities for growth.'

Examples:

There are less opportunities for advancement in this company.
She has less opportunities to travel now that she has a full-time job.

Alternatives:

fewer chances
fewer options
fewer possibilities
reduced opportunities
limited opportunities

Answer 1

fewer opportunities

This phrase is correct when referring to countable nouns.

Answer 2

less opportunities

This phrase is correct when referring to uncountable nouns.

"fewer opportunities" vs "less opportunities"

fewer opportunities

less opportunities

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