a growing category

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a growing category" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a category that is increasing in size, popularity, or significance over time. Example: "Sustainable products are becoming a growing category in the retail market as consumers become more environmentally conscious."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Tech

Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

Cybersecurity investigations were a growing category of the orders by 2009.

The Guardian

OUTDOOR advertising is a growing category — not just billboards, but increasingly, weird publicity stunts that often go awry.

The New York Times

The system is intended to extend a growing category of software that helps groups collaborate and work together more efficiently.

The New York Times - Tech

FindSounds is part of a growing category of multimedia search engines.The site is well designed and deploys some impressive technology.

The New York Times - Tech

EqualLogic's technology is part of a growing category known as virtualization, which allows a single computer to function like multiple computers.

The New York Times - Tech

This interference with nature has set the stage for the success of a growing category of weeds, one exemplified by cheatgrass: invasive plant species.

The New York Times - Magazine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

28 human-written examples

While wearables represent a quickly growing category of devices from a variety of vendors – and across a variety of industries – they're still looking for a long-term home.

TechCrunch

He said the iPad would offer an experience that was superior to that of netbooks, a rapidly growing category of inexpensive and lightweight laptops that accounted for $11 billion in global sales last year.

The New York Times - Tech

But despite the scale of the challenge, the draft report is upbeat: "Since [2007], many renewable energy technologies have substantially advanced in terms of performance and cost and a growing number have achieved technical and economic maturity, making renewable energy a fast growing category in energy supply," the report says.

The Guardian

It is a swiftly growing category.

The New York Times - Sports

New Era, known as Neon, makes e-commerce applications, a rapidly growing category of business software.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "a growing category", ensure the context clearly indicates what is increasing, whether it is size, popularity, or importance. For example, specify "a growing category of software solutions" rather than just "a growing category".

Common error

Avoid using "a growing category" without specifying the domain or area. Vague usage reduces clarity and impact. Instead of saying "AI is a growing category", specify "AI-powered customer service tools are a growing category".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a growing category" functions as a noun phrase, where "growing" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "category". As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it is used to describe a classification that is increasing in size, scope, or popularity.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Tech

25%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Science

10%

Wiki

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a growing category" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe a classification that is expanding in size, popularity, or significance. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is versatile and applicable across various contexts. While frequently found in news, technology, and business-related articles, it maintains a neutral tone suitable for both formal and informal communication. To enhance clarity, specify the particular area or domain that is growing. Alternatives like "an expanding sector" or "a rising class" can provide nuanced variations. When writing, be specific about what exactly is expanding in size, population, relevance, and significance to avoid being too general.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an expanding sector

Replaces "growing" with "expanding", focusing on the enlargement of a particular area of activity.

a rising class

Substitutes "category" with "class" and "growing" with "rising", indicating upward movement in status or number.

an emerging field

Replaces "growing" with "emerging", suggesting something new is coming into existence and gaining prominence.

a burgeoning market

Uses "burgeoning" to emphasize rapid growth and substitutes "category" with "market", fitting contexts related to commerce.

a developing area

Uses "developing" to indicate progress and evolution, replacing "category" with "area".

an escalating trend

Replaces "growing" with "escalating" to highlight an increase in intensity or scale over time.

a proliferating type

Uses "proliferating" to suggest a rapid increase in number or instances and replaces "category" with "type".

a mushrooming segment

Employs "mushrooming" for extremely rapid growth, and substitutes "category" with "segment", often used in business contexts.

a swelling rank

Substitutes "category" with "rank" suggesting an increase in number or size of a group or classification and uses "swelling" for growing

a broadening scope

Replaces "growing" with "broadening" to indicate the scope is getting wider and substitutes "category" with scope

FAQs

How can I use "a growing category" in a sentence?

You can use "a growing category" to describe something that is increasing in size, popularity, or significance. For example, "Electric vehicles are "a growing category" in the automotive industry".

What can I say instead of "a growing category"?

You can use alternatives like "an expanding sector", "a rising class", or "an emerging field depending on the context.

Is it better to say "a rapidly growing category" or "a growing category"?

Both phrases are grammatically correct, but "a rapidly growing category" emphasizes the speed of the growth. The choice depends on whether you want to highlight the rate of increase or simply acknowledge that the category is increasing.

What's the difference between "a growing category" and "a trend"?

"A growing category" refers to a classification that is increasing in size or importance, while "a trend" refers to a pattern of change or popularity. Something can be "a growing category" because it is currently "a trend", but they are not interchangeable.