a considerable lessening

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a considerable lessening" is not correct in standard English; it should be "a considerable reduction" or "a significant lessening." You can use it when discussing a notable decrease in quantity, intensity, or degree, but it is better to use the correct forms.
Example: "The new policy resulted in a considerable reduction in waste production."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

TAIPEI, Taiwan Taiwanan on Saturday elected its first president who had campaigned for closer relations with Beijing, paving the way for a considerable lessening of tensions in one of Asia's oldest flash points.

The New York Times

But I can't help noticing a considerable lessening of foot traffic at shopping malls and movie houses.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Therefore, administer the proper policies to impart the best quality of produced water exert a considerable influence on the drilling and production operations and lessen the inefficiency of current methodologies by applying the high quality of water.

Applied Water Science

There is diversity, however; 10 countries show a worsening gap for the CPR (12 for the mCPR), in some cases by a considerable margin of 10 or more points, while the other 15 countries show lessening gaps.

Global health, science and practice

"Jamie's going to be around for a considerable amount of time, albeit that didn't make the decision any easier or lessen the disappointment when I was told".

BBC

US officials are refusing to discuss the option of an extension of a few months, for fear of lessening the pressure on negotiators to make concessions in the last week of talks, but there is still a considerable distance between the negotiating positions of the Iranians and a six-nation group representing the international community.

The Guardian

Malaysia produces a considerable volume.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Ashley Williams proved a considerable barrier.

Independent

That is a considerable understatement.

The New Yorker

But a considerable challenge remains.

The New Yorker

A considerable Internet furor ensued.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

While "a considerable lessening" is understandable, opt for more grammatically standard alternatives like "a significant reduction" or "a substantial decrease" to enhance clarity and credibility in your writing.

Common error

Avoid frequently pairing "lessening" directly with "considerable" or other adverbs. While grammatically functional, it's less common and can sound awkward. Instead, consider restructuring the sentence to use "reduction" or "decrease" for a more natural flow.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a considerable lessening" functions as a noun phrase, where "considerable" modifies the noun "lessening". While understandable, Ludwig AI advises that the construction is not the most grammatically sound choice in standard English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

66%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a considerable lessening" is understandable, it is not the most grammatically sound choice for standard English. Ludwig AI indicates that it is better to opt for alternatives such as "a significant reduction" or "a substantial decrease", especially in formal writing. The phrase's usage appears mostly in news and media contexts, but its infrequent occurrence suggests that writers should prefer more common and grammatically accepted alternatives to ensure clarity and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant reduction

Replaces "lessening" with the more common "reduction", maintaining the emphasis on a notable decrease.

a substantial decrease

Uses "substantial" and "decrease" to highlight the magnitude of the reduction.

a marked decline

Emphasizes the downward trend and its clear visibility.

a noticeable abatement

Replaces the words with a more formal vocabulary to indicate a reduction in something negative.

a palpable easing

Focuses on the tangible or easily felt aspect of the reduction.

a great diminution

Utilizes a more formal and less common word, "diminution", for emphasis.

a considerable drop

Uses the more informal word "drop" to describe a decrease.

a significant alleviation

Suggests that the lessening leads to improvement, by alleviating a negative condition.

a substantial mitigation

Focuses on reducing the severity or impact of something negative.

a clear downtick

Uses the term "downtick" to describe a slight decline.

FAQs

What's a more standard way to say "a considerable lessening"?

More standard alternatives include "a significant reduction", "a substantial decrease", or "a marked decline".

Is "a considerable lessening" grammatically incorrect?

While understandable, "a considerable lessening" isn't the most grammatically sound choice. "Lessening" is often used as a verb. Using "a considerable reduction" is more standard.

In what contexts might I use "a considerable lessening"?

Although not preferred, "a considerable lessening" could appear in informal contexts. However, formal writing requires more precise language like "a significant reduction" or "a noticeable abatement".

What's the difference between "a considerable lessening" and "a significant reduction"?

The primary difference lies in grammatical correctness and common usage. "A significant reduction" is a more standard and widely accepted phrase, whereas "a considerable lessening", while understandable, is less common and may sound awkward to some readers.