considerably lessen

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "considerably lessen" is not correct in standard English usage.
The word "lessen" is typically used without modifiers like "considerably," as it already implies a reduction. Example: "The new policy aims to lessen the impact of pollution on the environment."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Oil drilling technology has made impressive leaps forward in recent years that should considerably lessen environmental concerns.

Forbes

Thus, it can be seen that though the number of misbehaving nodes increases, the packet delivery ratio does not considerably lessen for both DSR and trust DSR.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Also access to emergency obstetric care, adequate nutrition and basic health services considerably lessen the risk of maternal death [ 11].

BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth

Our results confirm that reducing harvest ratios can considerably lessen the magnitude of fisheries-induced evolution (as shown in Fig. 5, as well as in Appendices B and C; see also Law and Grey 1989; Heino 1998; Ernande et al. 2004; Dunlop et al. 2009b).

Evolutionary Applications

The competition authority concludes from its research that the concentration is likely to considerably lessen competition on the hospital market.

European Journal of Health Economics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

But now that it's been completed, it has considerably lessened the chances of a speculative attack on one country's bond market bringing down the entire system.

The New Yorker

This restriction considerably lessens the required calculations because the intensity at the location of subsequent events will only be influenced by historical events if the given event is contained within the threshold distance associated with the historical events.

Earth, Planets and Space

This opposition considerably lessened since the stadium was built.

Wikipedia

Optimization of working conditions led us to reduce the amount of water used in the hydrolysis to 4.5%% of the volume of treated biodiesel, which considerably lessened the amount of wastewater generated.

Biotechnology for Biofuels

The urgency to pre-empt an adversary in crisis by striking first would be considerably lessened.

The New York Times

You can't walk to any point you see, as in a first-person shooter, but at least you can see everything around you, and the frustrating visual rigidity of Myst is considerably lessened.

The New York Times - Tech

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "considerably lessen" in formal writing. Opt for stronger verbs like "reduce", "diminish", or "alleviate" and use "considerably" to modify those verbs when appropriate (e.g., "considerably reduce").

Common error

The term "lessen" already implies a reduction. Adding "considerably" creates a redundant effect, similar to saying "very decrease". Choose one or the other for clearer communication.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "considerably lessen" functions as a verb phrase aiming to express a reduction or decrease. However, as Ludwig AI points out, the combination is often seen as grammatically incorrect due to the redundancy of "considerably" with "lessen".

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "considerably lessen" appears in various sources, Ludwig AI indicates that it is generally considered grammatically incorrect due to the redundant use of "considerably" with "lessen". The phrase attempts to emphasize a reduction, but this is better achieved by using stronger verbs such as "reduce", "diminish", or "alleviate", and modifying those with "considerably" if needed. Opting for alternatives like "significantly reduce" or "greatly diminish" ensures both grammatical correctness and clear communication. Therefore, it's best to avoid "considerably lessen" in formal writing to maintain clarity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significantly reduce

This alternative replaces "considerably lessen" with a more standard and grammatically sound phrase, emphasizing the degree of reduction.

greatly diminish

This option uses "greatly diminish" to express a substantial decrease, offering a more concise and direct alternative.

markedly decrease

Using "markedly decrease" provides a clear and unambiguous way to indicate a noticeable reduction.

substantially alleviate

This alternative implies a significant reduction in something negative, such as pain or burden.

noticeably abate

The phrase "noticeably abate" suggests a clear and perceptible lessening in intensity or degree.

appreciably curtail

This option conveys a considerable reduction, particularly in quantity or extent.

considerably weaken

Although using "considerably" is not recommended with lessen, you can use it together with other words like "weaken"

significantly ease

This phrase suggests a substantial reduction in difficulty or severity.

notably mitigate

Using "notably mitigate" implies a considerable reduction in the harmful effects of something.

considerably lighten

Although using "considerably" is not recommended with lessen, you can use it together with other words like "lighten"

FAQs

Is "considerably lessen" grammatically correct?

No, the phrase "considerably lessen" is generally considered grammatically incorrect because "lessen" already implies a reduction. Using "considerably" with it is redundant. It's better to use alternatives like "significantly reduce" or "greatly diminish".

What are some alternatives to "considerably lessen"?

You can use phrases such as "significantly reduce", "greatly diminish", "markedly decrease", or "substantially alleviate" depending on the specific context.

How can I use "lessen" correctly in a sentence?

Use "lessen" without adding "considerably" before it. For example, "The new policy aims to lessen the impact of pollution" is correct. To add emphasis, you could say "significantly lessen" or "greatly lessen" but they are not recommended.

What's the difference between "lessen" and "reduce"?

"Lessen" means to make or become less; diminish. "Reduce" also means to make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size. While they are similar, "reduce" is often used in more formal contexts and can be paired with "considerably" for emphasis, while "lessen" is best used on its own.