decline by

USAGE SUMMARY

"decline by" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it as a verb to indicate that something has decreased or lessened in size, amount, or degree. For example, "The number of coronavirus cases in our state declined by 20% this week."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

Downtown began to decline by the 1960s.

The New York Times - Arts

"Civilwarland in Bad Decline," by George Saunders.

The New Yorker

The city cannot arrest the decline by itself.

The New York Times

Tammany's influence was on the decline by the 1920's.

The New York Times

The exemption would decline by 10percentt annually.

The New York Times

The figure did not decline by 2.8percentt.

The New York Times

Shell's would likely decline by 72percentt, he said.

The New York Times

Yet overall traffic didn't decline by nearly so much.

The New York Times

Loehmann's outstanding debt will decline by $115 million.

The New York Times

The population may decline by half in summer through migration.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The city, for example, forecast that capital gains would decline by 5percentt in 2002.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "decline by", ensure you specify the unit of measurement (percentage, amount, etc.) to provide clarity and context.

Common error

Avoid using "decline by" when a more precise or nuanced verb (such as "plummet", "slump", or "recover") would better describe the specific change occurring. The phrase is suitable for general decreases but may lack impact in certain situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "decline by" functions as a verb phrase indicating a reduction or decrease in a specific quantity or percentage. It is used to quantify the amount of decrease, as seen in Ludwig's examples, where various metrics like revenue or population "decline by" a certain amount.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

2%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "decline by" is a common and grammatically correct way to express a quantifiable reduction, as confirmed by Ludwig. It's used across various contexts, especially in news, science, and business. While alternatives like "decrease by" or "fall by" exist, "decline by" offers a general and widely accepted means of indicating a decrease. Ensuring clarity by specifying the units and considering more nuanced verbs for specific changes are key to effective usage. The most authoritative sources that frequently use the phrase are The New York Times, The Guardian, and Forbes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

decrease by

Similar meaning, slightly more formal.

reduce by

Emphasizes the act of reducing something.

fall by

Implies a sudden or rapid decrease.

diminish by

More formal, suggests a gradual reduction.

lessen by

Similar to diminish, but less formal.

drop by

More informal than "decline by".

shrink by

Implies a reduction in size or volume.

contract by

Often used in economic or financial contexts.

go down by

A more colloquial way to express a decrease.

recede by

Suggests a gradual withdrawal or decrease.

FAQs

How can I use "decline by" in a sentence?

Use "decline by" to show a reduction in something. For example, "The company's profits "declined by" 10% last quarter."

What are some alternatives to "decline by"?

Alternatives include "decrease by", "fall by", or "reduce by" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "decline by" or "decrease by"?

Both "decline by" and "decrease by" are correct and often interchangeable. "Decline" may sometimes imply a more gradual or less severe reduction than "decrease".

What's the difference between "decline by" and "decline in"?

"Decline by" is used to specify the amount of reduction (e.g., "decline by 5%"), whereas "decline in" refers to the area or category that experiences the reduction (e.g., "decline in sales").