A marginal decrease

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "A marginal decrease" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a small or slight reduction in a quantity or measurement. Example: "The report indicated a marginal decrease in sales compared to the previous quarter."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Engineering

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A marginal decrease in shear stiffness and shear resistance was observed due to the vertical load and bending moment applied.

Engineering Structures

A marginal decrease in the microhardness of Ni mullite occurred at 600 °C while, significant reduction was observed beyond 400 °C for Ni SiC coating.

Surface and Coatings Technology

A marginal decrease in both initial and final setting times is observed with the increase in lime contents.

International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials

A marginal decrease in the expression of ProDH was also observed.

BMC Genomics

A marginal decrease of cmyb expression is detectable in the CHT region at 40 hpf (Supplementary information, Figure S4C″-S4D″).

Cell Research

A marginal decrease was seen for the lower doses of F. lutea with insulin present in comparison to its absence.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

A marginal decrease in cell proliferation by the combination of curcumin and retinoic acid is consistent with the modest suppression of the FABP5/PPARβ/δ pathway.

BMC Cancer

A marginal decrease in the expression of PPAR γ in the initiation phase might be related to the early stages of colon cancer.

BioMed Research International

A marginal decrease in precipitation is projected for other regions, particularly during the northern hemisphere summer, suggesting reduced water availability (Lal et al. 2002).

Environmental Health Perspectives

Astrocytes showed a marginal decrease at Day 10 and Day 14.

Advances in Space Research

A mere $15 billion poured into schools produced a marginal decrease in performance, thus proving once and for all that money can't buy intelligence.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "A marginal decrease", ensure the context clarifies what is decreasing and the units of measurement. This provides clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "A marginal decrease" when the decrease is actually substantial. This can mislead the reader and misrepresent the true extent of the change.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "A marginal decrease" functions as a descriptive noun phrase, typically used as a subject, object, or complement in a sentence. As evidenced by Ludwig, it quantifies a slight reduction.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

74%

News & Media

12%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Engineering

2%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "A marginal decrease" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe a slight reduction. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability and provides numerous real-world examples spanning diverse fields such as science, news, and engineering. While often used in neutral to formal contexts, it's important to ensure the context justifies the use of 'marginal' to avoid misrepresenting the true significance of any decrease. Alternatives such as "a slight decline" or "a small reduction" can offer nuanced variations in meaning. Overall, "A marginal decrease" serves as a valuable tool for precise communication, especially when detailing small changes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

A slight decline

This alternative uses "decline" instead of "decrease", suggesting a gentle downward trend.

A minimal decrease

Here, "minimal" emphasizes that the decrease is at the lower end of the scale.

A small reduction

This option replaces "marginal" with "small" and "decrease" with "reduction", emphasizing the limited scale of the change.

A minor decrease

This phrase substitutes "marginal" with "minor", indicating a less significant decrease.

A modest decrease

This variation uses "modest" to convey that the decrease is limited in scope or impact.

A negligible reduction

Replacing "marginal" with "negligible" suggests that the reduction is so small it's almost not worth mentioning.

A slim reduction

This phrase highlights the slight or slender nature of the decrease.

A fractional decrease

Substituting "marginal" with "fractional" highlights that the decrease represents only a small portion of the whole.

A tiny drop

This alternative conveys a very small and subtle decrease, using more informal language.

A hairline decrease

This alternative uses "hairline" to emphasize how subtle or difficult to detect the decrease is.

FAQs

How can I use "A marginal decrease" in a sentence?

You can use "A marginal decrease" to describe a slight reduction in something. For example: "There was a marginal decrease in sales this quarter."

What's a more formal way to say "A marginal decrease"?

More formal alternatives include "A slight decline", "A minor reduction", or "A negligible decrease", depending on the precise nuance you want to convey.

What words can I use instead of "decrease" in "A marginal decrease"?

You could replace "decrease" with words like "decline", "reduction", or "drop" while maintaining a similar meaning.

Is there a difference between "A marginal decrease" and "A significant decrease"?

Yes, "A marginal decrease" implies a small, often inconsequential change, while "A significant decrease" indicates a notable and important change.