less is more

== English == === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /lɛs ɪz ˈmɔː/ (General American) IPA(key): /lɛs ɪz ˈmɔɹ/ === Proverb === less is more (paradox, oxymoron) That which is of smaller quantity could be of higher quality. That which is less complicated is often better understood and more appreciated than what is more complicated; brevity in communication is more effective than verbosity. 1855, Robert Browning, "Andrea del Sarto" poem in Men and Women collection: Well, less is more, Lucrezia: I am judged. ==== Usage notes ==== This was the motto of Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a proponent of minimalism in architecture. ==== Synonyms ==== a little goes a long way (some contexts) ==== Antonyms ==== less is a bore more is more ==== Translations ====