a negative rate of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a negative rate of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts such as finance, economics, or statistics to describe a situation where a rate is below zero, indicating a loss or decrease. Example: "The central bank announced a negative rate of interest, which has raised concerns among investors."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

30 human-written examples

Insurance purchases have a negative rate of return as insurance premiums are much higher than the expected loss.

Nature

It could mean that an account holder with £1,000 in a NatWest account could see that shrink to £999 or less the following year as the bank charges a negative rate of interest.

The Guardian - Business

At that point the ECB cut the main interest rate to 0.15%, imposed a negative rate of -0.1% on bank deposits, and announced a €400bn (£317bn) package of cheap finance to encourage bank lending.

The Guardian

This deal, unusually, made use of a negative rate of interest, apparently to defer payments on ¥200 billion ($1.7 billion) worth of government debt from 1997 into 1998.

The Economist

Consumer debt is reported up 53percentt on an island whose three million residents have a negative rate of personal savings and where 6 out of 10 people qualify for food stamps.

The New York Times

At a time when savers complain that they are earning almost no interest from their bank accounts, some investors on Monday bought United States government bonds that effectively had a negative rate of return.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

29 human-written examples

But while more than half of respondents felt the federal government was the primary body which should address climate change, there was a negative rating of -18 when people were asked to rank the government's performance.

The Guardian

However, using chi-square or Fisher's exact test for statistical analysis of this group was of limited value as, while 13 rated the service as average, only a single respondent gave a negative rating of the service.

Insights into Imaging

Other recent polling by nonpartisan groups has found an uptick in concern about civil liberties and a negative rating of Obama for his handling of the issue.

Huffington Post

In this study, a negative dip slide with a NPV of 78% and a false negative rate of 22% could not rule out SBU.

BMC Infectious Diseases

It's not perfect; the system misclassified nine of 149 eagles, for a false negative rate of 6%., with a false positive rate of 28% for misclassifying 278 of 1,013 eagles.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In scientific contexts, specify the units of measurement when using "a negative rate of change" to provide clarity and avoid ambiguity. For example, state "a negative rate of change of -2% per year".

Common error

Avoid assuming that "a negative rate of" one variable directly causes a change in another without sufficient evidence. A negative rate might only indicate a correlation, not a causal relationship. Ensure you back up claims with solid reasoning and data.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a negative rate of" functions primarily as a modifier followed by a noun, such as 'growth', 'return', or 'change'. It quantifies the noun, indicating that it is decreasing or below zero. This is supported by Ludwig AI, which confirms its correct usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

43%

News & Media

43%

Formal & Business

14%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a negative rate of" is a versatile and grammatically correct expression used to describe a decreasing or below-zero quantity across various fields. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and usability in written English. As shown in the examples, this phrase commonly appears in scientific, news, and business contexts to express declines or losses in areas like growth, return, or change. While alternatives such as "a declining rate of" or "a decreasing rate of" exist, "a negative rate of" provides a direct and unambiguous way to convey the information. Remember to specify the units and avoid inferring causation without sufficient evidence. Given its frequency and diverse applicability, mastering the use of "a negative rate of" can enhance clarity and precision in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a declining rate of

This alternative directly replaces "negative" with "declining", emphasizing the downward trend.

a decreasing rate of

Similar to "declining rate", this emphasizes the continuous reduction in the rate.

a diminishing rate of

This option suggests that the rate is gradually becoming smaller.

a reduced rate of

Focuses on the result of a reduction, highlighting that the rate is now lower.

a below-zero rate of

More explicitly states that the rate is less than zero.

a substandard rate of

Implies that the rate is below the expected or acceptable level.

a poor rate of

Indicates a rate that is not satisfactory or desirable.

a loss rate of

Replaces "negative" with "loss", specifically applicable when the rate refers to something being lost.

a deficit rate of

Highlights that there is a shortfall or deficiency in the rate.

a contraction rate of

Suggests that the rate is shrinking or becoming smaller over time.

FAQs

How can I use "a negative rate of" in a sentence?

You can use "a negative rate of" to describe a decrease or loss in various contexts, such as "The country experienced "a negative rate of growth"" or "The investment yielded "a negative rate of return"".

What is an example of a "negative rate of" in economics?

In economics, "a negative interest rate" means that borrowers are paid to take out loans, and depositors are charged for keeping money in the bank.

What are some alternatives to saying "a negative rate of"?

You can use alternatives such as "a declining rate of", "a decreasing rate of", or "a reduced rate of" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "a negative rate of growth" or "a declining growth rate"?

Both "a negative rate of growth" and "a declining growth rate" are acceptable. "A negative rate of growth" explicitly states that growth is below zero, while "a declining growth rate" implies that the growth is slowing down, possibly approaching or entering negative territory.