less is more
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
Simplicity is often better than complexity or excess
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Sources & notes
Listed on Wikipedia “List of proverbial phrases” (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-30; pending editor spot-check.
Equivalents & related
Near equivalent
một nụ cười bằng mười thang thuốc bổ
Laughter is the best medicine.
Tiếng Việt
Near equivalent
laughter is the best medicine
Humor can heal emotional and mental distress
English · via một nụ cười bằng mười thang thuốc bổ
Lighter cards are two steps away in the meaning graph — equivalents of equivalents, reached via the entry shown on the card.
Common questions
What does “less is more” mean?
Simplicity is often better than complexity or excess
Is “less is more” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.
What is the closest equivalent?
“một nụ cười bằng mười thang thuốc bổ” (Tiếng Việt) — near equivalent.