What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Often vs Fewer - What's the difference?

often | fewer |

As an adverb often

is frequently, many times.

As a determiner fewer is

the comparative of few ; a smaller number.

often

English

Adverb

(en-adv)
  • Frequently, many times.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-08, volume=407, issue=8839, page=55, magazine=(The Economist)
    • , title= Obama goes troll-hunting , passage=According to this saga of intellectual-property misanthropy, these creatures [patent trolls] roam the business world, buying up patents and then using them to demand extravagant payouts from companies they accuse of infringing them. Often , their victims pay up rather than face the costs of a legal battle.}}

    Synonyms

    * frequently * occasionally * usually

    Antonyms

    * infrequently * rarely * seldom

    Derived terms

    * as often as not

    Related terms

    * oftentimes * oft

    Statistics

    * English frequency adverbs 1000 English basic words

    fewer

    English

    Determiner

    (en-det) (superlative fewest)
  • The comparative of few ; a smaller number.
    • Fewer women wear hats these days.
    There are fewer tigers than there were a hundred years ago.

    Usage notes

    See also

    * less