declines slightly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "declines slightly" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a small decrease in quantity, value, or intensity in various contexts, such as economics, statistics, or general observations. Example: "The company's profits decline slightly in the last quarter, indicating a need for strategic adjustments."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

25 human-written examples

As the value of money declines slightly year to year, people do not typically respond by throwing it away.

The Economist

In Brazil, the religious composition of society is changing as the percentage of Roman Catholics declines slightly while the number of Protestants expands dramatically.

The Economist

Today, about 70percentt of Miami's revenues come from tuition and only about 15percentt from state appropriation, a percentage that declines slightly each year.

University of Chicago

Moreover, the PL peak intensity rises linearly with the SRL thickness up to 6 nm and then declines slightly for the sample with 7 nm SRL.

Nanoscale Research Letters

The BER results of BFT2 in Fig. 7 are very close, which indicate that detection performance declines slightly even with large Doppler shift or frequency error.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

As shown in Fig. 2b, the reboiler duty decreases continuously with the increase of the number of theoretical plates, and it declines slightly when N is greater than 60.

Applied Petrochemical Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

35 human-written examples

Financial stocks declined slightly.

The New York Times

Utility stocks declined slightly.

The New York Times

Production declined slightly.

The New York Times

Office vacancy rates declined slightly.

The New York Times

Information technology and telecommunications stocks declined slightly.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing trends or data, use "declines slightly" to indicate a minor decrease without implying a significant negative impact. This softens the observation and maintains a neutral tone.

Common error

Avoid using "declines slightly" when the decrease is actually substantial. Using it inappropriately can mislead your audience about the true extent of the change.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "declines slightly" functions as a verb phrase, indicating an action (declining) modified by an adverb (slightly). Ludwig confirms its validity, demonstrating its role in expressing a moderate reduction or decrease. It is frequently used to describe quantitative shifts or changes in status.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

30%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "declines slightly" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to describe a minor decrease. Ludwig AI confirms its versatility across various contexts, particularly in science, news, and academia. It serves to provide nuanced information about changes without exaggerating their significance. When using this phrase, it's crucial to ensure that the decrease is indeed small to avoid misleading the audience. Alternatives like "decreases marginally" or "drops a little" can be considered for slight variations in tone or emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

decreases marginally

Indicates a small decrease, emphasizing the minor extent of the reduction.

drops a little

Suggests a small decrease, using a more informal and less technical term.

falls gently

Describes a gradual and slight decrease, implying a smooth reduction.

recedes marginally

Implies a slight decrease, suggesting a movement back or away from a previous level.

dips slightly

Indicates a small decrease, often used in contexts involving graphs or charts.

diminishes subtly

Suggests a decrease that is hard to notice, highlighting the slight nature of the reduction.

eases off slightly

Describes a decrease in intensity or pressure, indicating a small reduction in force.

lessens a bit

Indicates a small reduction, using a more informal and general term.

moderately decreases

Highlights the reduction by the term "moderately" but keeps a formal tone.

reduces fractionally

Implies the reduction happened at a fractional level, highlighting the fact that is really small.

FAQs

How can I use "declines slightly" in a sentence?

You can use "declines slightly" to describe a minor decrease in a quantity or quality. For example, "The company's profits declined slightly this quarter."

What are some alternatives to "declines slightly"?

Some alternatives include "decreases marginally", "drops a little", or "falls gently", depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "declines slightly" in formal writing?

Yes, "declines slightly" is appropriate for formal writing, as it is a clear and professional way to describe a minor decrease. However, consider if a more precise term would be beneficial for your specific audience.

What's the difference between "declines slightly" and "decreases significantly"?

"Declines slightly" indicates a small reduction, while "decreases significantly" implies a much larger and more important reduction. The choice depends on the magnitude of the change you're describing.