a considerable lessening of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a considerable lessening of" is not correct in standard English; it should be "a considerable decrease in" or "a considerable reduction in." You can use it when discussing a significant reduction in quantity, intensity, or degree of something.
Example: "The new policy has led to a considerable decrease 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

58 human-written examples

A considerable sleight-of-hand.

Huffington Post

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

It is a considerable piece of work.

The Guardian

A considerable amount of material was missing.

The New York Times - Magazine

A considerable amount of wood is used.

The Guardian - Opinion

"It includes a considerable margin of security".

The Guardian

"There's a considerable amount of terrorism...

The New Yorker

A considerable number of women stop.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Opt for more standard phrasing such as "a significant decrease in" or "a substantial reduction in" to enhance clarity and credibility in formal writing.

Common error

Avoid using "a considerable lessening of" in formal writing. While understandable, it is less conventional than alternatives like "decrease" or "reduction". Choosing more common phrasing enhances clarity and avoids potential confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase is used as a modifier to describe a reduction or decrease in something. While "lessening" functions as a noun derived from a verb, it's less common than alternatives. Ludwig's examples illustrate this usage, though the tool itself marks the phrase as potentially incorrect.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a considerable lessening of" is understandable, it's not considered standard English. Ludwig AI identifies it as potentially incorrect, recommending alternatives such as "a significant decrease in" or "a substantial reduction in". Although examples exist in news and scientific contexts, prioritizing clarity and precision means opting for more conventional phrasing in formal writing to avoid ambiguity. Using stronger alternatives enhances both the grammatical correctness and the overall impact of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a significant decrease in

Replaces "lessening" with the more common and grammatically sound "decrease", changing the preposition to "in".

a substantial reduction in

Substitutes "considerable" with "substantial" and "lessening" with "reduction", providing a similar meaning with different wording.

a marked decline in

Uses "marked decline" instead of "considerable lessening", emphasizing a noticeable decrease.

a noticeable drop in

Replaces the original phrase with "noticeable drop", focusing on a sudden decrease.

a considerable reduction of

Replaces "lessening" with "reduction" while maintaining "considerable", only changes the preposition.

a significant easing of

Substitutes "lessening" with "easing", suggesting a reduction in tension or pressure.

a substantial alleviation of

Replaces "considerable lessening" with "substantial alleviation", conveying a sense of relief from something negative.

a significant abatement of

Uses "abatement" instead of "lessening", indicating a decrease in intensity or severity.

a considerable mitigation of

Replaces "lessening" with "mitigation", suggesting a reduction in the harmful effects of something.

a marked attenuation of

Substitutes "considerable lessening" with "marked attenuation", implying a weakening or reduction in force.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "a considerable lessening of"?

You can use alternatives like "a significant decrease in", "a substantial reduction in", or "a marked decline in" depending on the context.

Is "a considerable lessening of" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "a considerable lessening of" is not the most grammatically sound phrasing. Standard alternatives like "a significant decrease in" are preferred in formal writing.

How can I use "a significant decrease in" in a sentence?

Here's an example: "The new policy has led to a significant decrease in waste production."

What's the difference between "a considerable lessening of" and "a substantial reduction in"?

The phrase "a substantial reduction in" is more common and grammatically conventional. While both phrases convey a similar meaning, "a substantial reduction in" is generally preferred in formal contexts.