about a fourfold decrease

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "about a fourfold decrease" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a reduction in quantity or size, indicating that something has decreased to one-fourth of its original amount. Example: "The study showed that there was about a fourfold decrease in the number of errors after implementing the new software."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

We saw about a fourfold decrease in the fluorescence lifetime compared to the lifetime on the area void of SWs.

ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

"For the 2- to 5-year-olds, there is a fourfold decrease of serious head injuries when those children are in car seats or booster seats rather than inappropriately in adult seat belts," Dr. Winston said.

The New York Times - Science

A fourfold decrease in Dax was observed in the channel regime.

Chemical Engineering Science

Interestingly, substitution at the terminal 3-position resulted in only a fourfold decrease in antibody recognition, suggesting a possible point of future derivation.

Carbohydrate Research

Moreover, compared to their C 5 -OMe analog 13, C 5 -OMes 14 (C(5)-OH) analog (C(5)-SH) even showed a two- and a fourfold decrease in IC50 values, respectively.

Chemistry Central Journal

The largest inhibition is due to SO2: adding 20 ppm of SO2 to the feed results in a fourfold decrease of rate.

Catalysis Today

This conclusion was made on the observations with cellulose growth extract where Bg3 protein was not detected and a fourfold decrease in β-glucosidase activity was obtained.

Bioresources and Bioprocessing

A difference of 1 unit (or 63% of the total possible range) in the EQ-5D overall health status score over time was associated with a fourfold decrease in the odds of relapse.

International Journal of Bipolar Disorders

After a mean period of 6 years, there was a fourfold decrease in the goblet cell density of the surgical site after mitomycin C application compared to the contralateral non-operated site [12].

Journal of Ophthalmic Inflammation and Infection

Huang and colleagues observed a fourfold decrease in the binding affinities of their mGluR1 tracers when the temperature of the binding assay was raised from 4°C to 37°C [21].

EJNMMI Research

This decrease in RuBP regeneration causes a significant inhibition of photosynthesis and, subsequently, leads to a fourfold decrease in the growth rate in the plant cells [44].

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "about a fourfold decrease", ensure the context clearly establishes what is being reduced and the baseline for comparison. For instance, specify "about a fourfold decrease in sales compared to last quarter".

Common error

Avoid using "about a fourfold decrease" without specifying what is being compared. Saying simply "there was about a fourfold decrease" leaves the reader wondering what the decrease is relative to.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "about a fourfold decrease" functions as a descriptive modifier, typically used to quantify the extent of a reduction. It provides a sense of scale and significance to the change being described. Ludwig's examples show this usage across various fields.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "about a fourfold decrease" is a useful phrase to quantify a substantial reduction, indicating a decrease to approximately one-quarter of the original amount. Ludwig AI considers it grammatically correct and its usage is common across various scientific and news contexts. To ensure clarity, remember to specify what is being reduced and its original baseline. When a more formal tone is required, you may use "approximately a 75% reduction" or similar alternatives. This phrase effectively communicates the magnitude of the reduction in an easily understandable way.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately a 75% reduction

Expresses the decrease as a percentage, which is mathematically equivalent to a fourfold decrease.

roughly a quarter reduction

Uses a fraction to describe the proportional decrease.

a decrease by approximately 75 percent

More verbose, explicitly stating the percentage of reduction.

a decline of about 75%

Synonymous with reduction, indicating a fall in quantity or quality.

a reduction to approximately 25% of the original value

Focuses on the remaining value after the decrease rather than the amount of decrease.

a significant decrease to roughly one-fourth

Emphasizes the significance of the decrease and uses a fractional representation.

nearly a fourfold drop

Uses "drop" as a synonym for decrease, implying a sudden reduction.

a substantial decrease of approximately four times

Uses "times" to express the magnitude of the decrease.

a considerable reduction to around one-quarter

Highlights the considerableness of the reduction and expresses the remaining amount as a fraction.

a marked decline to roughly 25 percent

Uses "marked" to emphasize the clear and noticeable nature of the decline.

FAQs

How can I use "about a fourfold decrease" in a sentence?

You can use "about a fourfold decrease" to describe a reduction in something to approximately one-quarter of its original amount. For example, "The new policy resulted in about a fourfold decrease in customer complaints."

What's a more formal way to say "about a fourfold decrease"?

A more formal way to express "about a fourfold decrease" is "approximately a 75% reduction" or "a decrease of approximately 75 percent".

What are some alternatives to "about a fourfold decrease"?

You can use alternatives like "approximately a 75% reduction", "roughly a quarter reduction", or "a decline of about 75%" depending on the context.

Is "about a fourfold decrease" the same as "about a fourfold increase"?

No, "about a fourfold decrease" means a reduction to approximately one-quarter, while "about a fourfold increase" means multiplying something by approximately four.