a significant lessening

USAGE SUMMARY

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

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

In future, both of its agencies will apply a "significant lessening of competition" test straight from the American rulebooks.

The Economist

The announcement is a significant lessening of corporate hostilities, after years of bitter patent disputes over the intellectual property rights for mobile designs and technology.

The Guardian - Tech

The hybridization of fuel cell vehicles not only leads to an improved efficiency, but also results in a significant lessening of the dynamic control requirements for automotive fuel cell systems.

IFAC Proceedings Volumes

The result: Simply introducing particular fears during the subjects' sleep cycle ultimately led to a significant lessening of those same fears.

Huffington Post

Nevertheless, a significant lessening of the global assessment of disease activity by the patients was observed between V1 and V5 (P = 0.0047).

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

We are pleased they have found there to be no significant lessening of competition following an in-depth investigation lasting more than 10 months".

The Guardian - Business

After eight weeks of hourlong sessions of forced riding, most of the patients in Dr. Alberts's study showed significant lessening of tremors and better body control, improvements that lingered for up to four weeks after they stopped riding.

The New York Times

However, despite using tanks that were obsolete by the standards of the war in Europe the contribution of the Australian Armoured Corps to the success of later campaigns was significant, lessening casualties among the infantry and demonstrating the role of tanks in jungle operations.

Wikipedia

Each concentration was assessed in triplicate (n = 3) Results are presented in tables 1 and 2. All fifteen patients with active Herpetic viral infections experienced significant lessening or disappearance of symptoms.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine

"In the cases of Tesco, Sainsbury and Asda, there is a significant prospect that these mergers may be expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition," Ms. Hewitt said today.

The New York Times

However, when the functional needs (for the first peptides) could be realized by a mechanism (the proto-translation system) that significant lessened the corresponding replication needs (comparing with the DRT mechanism), the principle of "replication parsimony" would work (see also reviewer 1's comment on this principle and my response).

Biology Direct

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity and precision, favor alternatives like "a significant reduction" or "a significant decrease" over "a significant lessening."

Common error

While 'lessening' is a valid word, relying on it repeatedly can make your writing sound less polished. Vary your vocabulary by using more common synonyms like 'reducing', 'decreasing', or 'alleviating'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a significant lessening" functions as a noun phrase, where "significant" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "lessening". It indicates a notable reduction in something. Ludwig AI suggests better alternatives, which are preferable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Wiki

20%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "a significant lessening" is understandable, Ludwig AI analysis suggests that it is not the most grammatically sound choice. Alternatives like "a significant reduction" or "a significant decrease" are generally preferred for their clarity and wider acceptance. Though found in news and scientific contexts, favoring stronger alternatives enhances the precision and polish of your writing. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is not correct in standard English and can be misleading.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a substantial reduction

Emphasizes the magnitude of the decrease or reduction.

a marked decline

Highlights the noticeable decrease in something.

a considerable decrease

Similar to significant, but emphasizes the amount that something has fallen.

a notable abatement

Focuses on the reduction or lessening of something negative or undesirable.

a pronounced easing

Indicates a clear and obvious decrease or relaxation of something.

a definite weakening

Focuses on a loss of strength or intensity.

a clear moderation

Highlights the reduction in intensity or extremity.

a visible diminishment

Stresses that is easy to notice the reduction

a tangible alleviation

Suggests a noticeable relief or easing of a burden or problem.

an important mitigation

Implies that the decrease or reduction has a meaningful effect on something negative.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "a significant lessening"?

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

Is "a significant lessening" grammatically correct?

While the phrase is used, it is not considered the most grammatically sound option. "Significant reduction" or "significant decrease" are often preferred. Ludwig AI suggests that the phrase "a significant lessening" is not correct in standard English.

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

While possible, it's better to rephrase using stronger alternatives. For instance, instead of "There was a significant lessening of the problem", try "There was a significant reduction of the problem".

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

"A significant decrease" is more direct and widely accepted. "A significant lessening" is less common and may sound awkward to some readers. Use "a significant decrease" for clearer communication.