a steady declining

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a steady declining" is not correct in written English.
The correct form would be "a steady decline." Example: "The company has experienced a steady decline in sales over the past year."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

We found an improvement in BP control in the first 6 12 months of the programme, followed by a steady declining trend.

Social Science & Medicine

A steady declining trend can be observed in the EROI ratios of both the coal and the oil and gas industries due to the depletion of shallow-buried coal resources and of conventional oil and gas resources.

Petroleum Science

Net energy analyses show that both coal and oil and gas production show a steady declining trend of EROI (energy return on investment) due to the depletion of shallow-buried coal resources and conventional oil and gas resources, which is generally consistent with the approaching peaks of physical production of fossil fuels.

Petroleum Science

IL-12 plasmaasma levels were highly elevated in five patients and moderately elevated in all other patients during active VL, with a steady declining pattern in function of time (p = 0.0007) being very low or negative in all of them by 210 days after treatment (Fig. 3A).

BMC Infectious Diseases

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Virginia stopped issuing crabbing licenses a decade ago because of a steady decline in the shellfish.

The New York Times

Then began a steady decline.

The New Yorker

It has been a steady decline since.

The Washington Post

Also, television news viewership has been on a steady decline.

Columbia University

This led to a steady decline in personal saving.

The New York Times

Recent seasons demonstrate a steady decline in net spend.

The Guardian - Sport

The market had started on a steady decline.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer the grammatically correct and widely accepted phrase "a steady decline" when describing a gradual reduction or downturn.

Common error

Avoid using the gerund form "declining" after the article "a" and an adjective like "steady". Use the noun form "decline" instead. For example, use "a steady decline" not "a steady declining".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a steady declining" attempts to function as a descriptive phrase, modifying a noun. However, it is grammatically incorrect as it uses the present participle "declining" instead of the noun "decline". Ludwig AI highlights this error and suggests the correct form.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a steady declining" is grammatically incorrect. The correct and preferred form is "a steady decline". While Ludwig provides examples of the phrase being used, it's important to note the grammatical error, as Ludwig AI points out. When writing, it's best to use "a steady decline" or other alternatives like "a gradual decrease" to ensure grammatical correctness and clarity. The phrase is rare, and while it appears in both scientific and news contexts, adherence to proper grammar is essential for effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a consistent decline

Replaces the gerund "declining" with the noun "decline", creating a grammatically correct phrase.

a gradual decrease

Substitutes "steady" with "gradual" and "declining" with "decrease", maintaining the sense of a slow reduction.

a continuous drop

Uses "continuous" instead of "steady" and "drop" in place of "declining", suggesting an uninterrupted downward trend.

a progressive reduction

Replaces "steady" with "progressive" and "declining" with "reduction", indicating a step-by-step decrease.

a persistent downturn

Employs "persistent" to replace "steady" and "downturn" for "declining", emphasizing a sustained negative trend.

a steady erosion

Uses "erosion" to replace "declining", suggesting a gradual wearing away or deterioration.

a chronic dwindling

Replaces "steady" with "chronic" and "declining" with "dwindling", indicating a long-term reduction in size or amount.

a stable decreasing trend

Modifies the phrase to include "trend" and replaces "steady declining" with "stable decreasing", adding more detail.

a constant lessening

Uses "constant" to replace "steady" and "lessening" for "declining", suggesting an unceasing reduction.

a sustained fall

Substitutes "steady" with "sustained" and "declining" with "fall", highlighting the continued nature of the decrease.

FAQs

What is the correct way to say "a steady declining"?

The correct phrase is "a steady decline". The word "declining" should be the noun "decline".

What does "a steady decline" mean?

It means a gradual and consistent decrease or reduction over time. It implies a continuous downward trend without significant fluctuations.

Can I use "a steady decrease" instead of "a steady decline"?

Yes, "a steady decrease" is a perfectly acceptable alternative. Both phrases convey a similar meaning of a gradual reduction.

What are some other alternatives to "a steady decline"?

Other alternatives include "a gradual decrease", "a consistent drop", or "a progressive reduction", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.