are distinctly below

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "are distinctly below" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is clearly or noticeably lower in comparison to something else. Example: "The temperatures this winter are distinctly below the average for this time of year."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Field data from the Lake Langau, the lake the present strain was isolated from, indicate that conditions for most of the time are distinctly below optimal, suggesting that the realised growth rates of Cephalodella in the field are low (Weithoff et al., 2010).

Freshwater Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Jason Lee's side were distinctly below par but suffered at the hands of some borderline strong-arm tactics from their opponents.

The Guardian - Sport

Without her, her ex-husband, Maxim de Winter, wouldn't have disappeared to Monte Carlo and stumbled across our unnamed narrator, a nervous, waiflike young woman who is distinctly below Maxim in class and background.

Huffington Post

He thought that Billie Piper was "distinctly below par", citing her gaunt and malnourished appearance, new hairstyle, and slight lisp as reasons why her acting was not her finest.

Wikipedia

Additionally, the temperature T c below which Lo/Ld domains start to form in plasma membrane derived vesicles is distinctly below T = 37°C (Sezgin et al., 2012), and so its relevance at physiological temperature requires further justification.

eLife

The next largest contributions to pro-rich use of provincial/general hospitals were by the geographic determinant, but its contribution in 2005 (20.9%) was distinctly below that in 2001 (31.9%).

Health Policy and Planning

The likelihood scores of all the runs of P5 and P6 were distinctly below the value reached by the preferred P6* model (Table  4), and we thus did not further consider these partitioning strategies.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Others, however, are distinctly Japanese.

The New Yorker

Fusion power and fire are distinctly different.

The New York Times

Angelenos are distinctly unenthused by this.

The Economist

These pleasures, however, are distinctly finite.

The New York Times - Arts

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "are distinctly below" to clearly indicate a noticeable difference in quantity, quality, or position, making sure the context provides a clear point of comparison.

Common error

Avoid using "are distinctly below" without a clear reference point. Ensure the reader understands what is being compared and why the difference matters to prevent confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "are distinctly below" functions as a comparative descriptor, indicating that something is noticeably or clearly less than a specific reference point. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "are distinctly below" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase for emphasizing a noticeable difference in a comparative context. As Ludwig AI confirms, it serves to clearly indicate that a value or standard is significantly less than another, suitable for various writing registers, including neutral, formal, and informal. While examples are somewhat limited, the phrase appears across diverse sources, including news media, sports, and scientific publications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

are noticeably lower than

Emphasizes the ease with which the difference can be observed.

are significantly under

Highlights the statistical importance of the difference.

are clearly beneath

Highlights the lack of ambiguity in the comparison.

are markedly inferior to

Focuses on the difference in quality or status.

are demonstrably less than

Highlights the aspect of evidence and proof.

fall substantially short of

Indicates failure to reach a required standard or amount.

are plainly under

Emphasizes the obviousness of being below.

rank appreciably lower than

Highlights the difference in ranking or ordering.

are recognizably less than

Suggests the reduction is easily spotted.

measure discernibly below

Emphasizes precision of measurement.

FAQs

How can I use "are distinctly below" in a sentence?

You can use "are distinctly below" to show a clear difference between two values or standards. For example: "The test scores this year are distinctly below the national average."

What's a good alternative to "are distinctly below"?

Depending on the context, alternatives like "are noticeably lower than", "are significantly under", or "are clearly beneath" can be used.

Is it appropriate to use "are distinctly below" in formal writing?

Yes, "are distinctly below" is suitable for formal writing, especially when you need to emphasize a clear and measurable difference. However, ensure the context is appropriate for the level of formality.

What does "are distinctly below" imply?

The phrase implies that the difference is not only present but also clearly noticeable or measurable, suggesting a significant deviation from a standard or expectation.