about a threefold decrease

USAGE SUMMARY

"about a threefold decrease" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a dramatic decrease of three times in amount or quantity. For example, "The store experienced about a threefold decrease in profits since the pandemic began."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Results demonstrate that there was indeed about a threefold decrease in the OB BrdU-positive cells of m/m mice compared with +/ m or +/+ littermates (Fig. 2D F).

European Journal of Neuroscience

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Better insight into illness was strongly associated with higher levels of compliance, with an almost threefold increase in the odds of high compliance from moderate to high insight and a threefold decrease from moderate to low/none.

International Journal of Bipolar Disorders

Pre-treatment of MCF-7 cells with netropsin, which inhibits N3-adenine methylation by the compound, resulted in a threefold decrease in the toxicity.

Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry

Immersion for one week in the Saulx river, France, revealed a threefold decrease of biofouling on their surface compared with untreated glass surfaces while maintaining transparency.

Surface and Coatings Technology

Growth factor withdrawal led to a twofold increase of cleaved casp3 and a threefold decrease of p-Akt.

Cell Death and Disease

These authors obtained a threefold decrease of query time using NoSQL system compared to classical relational database system like Oracle.

BioMed Research International

Prenatally, there is a threefold decrease in myocyte proliferation in CENP-F −/− hearts compared with WT (supplementary material Fig. S2).

DMM Disease Models and Mechanisms

Notably, the loss of H19 expression led to a threefold decrease in the frequency of luminal progenitors (Fig. 3D).

Endocrine-Related Cancer

This decrease in OPN protein expression was associated with a threefold decrease in the number of cells that migrated, as compared with the vector-transfected Met control.

Breast Cancer Research

Hence, obesity should be considered a predictor factor of low-rate response to IFX in AS, leading to a threefold decrease of the response rate.

Arthritis Research and Therapy

The CD40L/CD40 pathway has been implicated in tTreg cell differentiation, with a threefold decrease in tTreg cell frequency observed in mice deficient in either of those molecules.

Cell Death and Disease

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "about a threefold decrease" when you want to indicate a substantial reduction, but without needing to specify an exact figure. This offers a clear sense of the magnitude of change while acknowledging potential imprecision.

Common error

Ensure the baseline for the "threefold decrease" is clearly defined. Ambiguity in the starting point can lead to misinterpretations of the actual magnitude of the reduction.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "about a threefold decrease" functions as a descriptive term indicating the magnitude of a reduction. It modifies a noun, specifying that it has been reduced to roughly one-third of its original value. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

55%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "about a threefold decrease" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a significant reduction to approximately one-third of an original amount. It's common in scientific and news-related contexts, conveying a substantial change without requiring precise figures. Ludwig AI confirms that it is correct and usable in written English. While not extremely common, it is suitable for various registers, from formal to neutral, and offers a clear way to express a notable reduction. The key is to ensure the baseline is clearly defined to avoid misinterpretations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

approximately a threefold reduction

Replaces "decrease" with "reduction", offering a synonymous term with minimal semantic shift.

roughly a threefold decline

Substitutes "decrease" with "decline", implying a gradual reduction.

around a threefold drop

Replaces "decrease" with "drop", suggesting a more sudden reduction.

a nearly threefold lessening

Uses "lessening" instead of "decrease", indicating a diminishing effect.

a threefold diminution

Employs "diminution", a more formal synonym for decrease.

a reduction by a factor of three

Restructures the sentence to emphasize the factor of reduction.

decreased by approximately threefold

Changes the sentence structure to place the emphasis on the verb "decreased".

a decrease of about 300%

Expresses the decrease as a percentage, offering a numerical perspective.

a substantial threefold fall

Replaces "decrease" with "fall", implying a significant reduction.

an approximate tripling in negative direction

Uses a broader description emphasizing the negative impact of the threefold change.

FAQs

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

You can use "about a threefold decrease" to describe a significant reduction in quantity or value that is approximately three times less than the original amount. For example, "The company experienced about a threefold decrease in sales after the product recall".

What is a more formal alternative to "about a threefold decrease"?

A more formal alternative could be "approximately a threefold reduction". This phrasing maintains the accuracy and impact while sounding more professional.

Is it correct to say "about a threefold decrease" or should I specify the percentage?

Both are correct, but they convey different levels of precision. "About a threefold decrease" is suitable when an approximate indication is sufficient. If precise data is available, stating a specific percentage might be more appropriate.

What's the difference between "about a threefold decrease" and "a threefold increase"?

"About a threefold decrease" indicates a reduction to approximately one-third of the original value, whereas "a threefold increase" means the value has grown to approximately three times its original value. They represent opposite changes.