declining down

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "declining down" is not correct and is generally considered redundant in written English.
It can be used in contexts where one is describing a decrease or reduction, but the word "declining" already implies a downward trend. Example: "The company's profits have been declining down for the past three quarters."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Emigration from Fairfield to Manhattan has always existed, and it continues, but it is declining, down about 4percentt in 2004 compared with 1996.

The New York Times

But, according to National Vital Statistics Reports, it then began steadily declining, down to 4.7 in 1990 and 4.1 in 2000.

The New York Times - Books

But the number of visitors to the Mont and the abbey is declining, down 9 percent last year, and the reason is not simply the global economic crisis, particularly acute in Western Europe.

The New York Times

It hasn't gone from everywhere, but it's gone from many places; in a curious development, its numbers are steadily increasing in Scotland, but no one knows why the figures are increasing in the North, any more than why their numbers are declining down in the South.

Independent

Kellogg's market share is declining, down as much as three percentage points from 1977.

Forbes

Thus, the EQE values for wavelengths below 450 nm were lower for a bare solar cell, declining down to 5% at a wavelength of 350 nm.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Among the miners Glencore continues to decline, down another 6.55p at 126.95p on financing concerns.

The Guardian - Business

Meanwhile, industrial production continued to decline, down by 3.9% in the year to April, to its lowest level since July 1999.

The Economist

In all of these cases, the production rate declined down to less than 50% after several months, and the membrane life shortened to about 1 year.

Desalination

Yesterday Greene King made clear like-for-like profits since its July update had begun to decline, down about 3.4%.

The Guardian - Business

Organic carbon concentration characteristically declines down the soil profile.

Carbon Balance and Management

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To improve clarity and precision, use "declining" or "falling" instead of "declining down". These single words effectively convey the intended meaning without redundancy.

Common error

Avoid using "declining down" as it repeats the idea of decrease. Opt for "declining" or "decreasing" to maintain concise and professional writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "declining down" functions as a descriptive phrase, indicating a downward trend or reduction. Ludwig AI's analysis suggests that while present in some texts, it's often considered redundant.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "declining down" appears in some contexts, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect due to its redundant nature. Ludwig AI analysis suggests that it's better to use single words like "declining", "decreasing", or "falling" to express the same meaning more effectively. These alternatives provide clarity and precision, making your writing more professional and concise.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

decreasing

This alternative uses a single word to convey the same meaning of reduction or descent.

falling

This term is a more direct synonym for "declining" indicating a downward movement or reduction.

reducing

This alternative emphasizes the act of making something smaller or less.

diminishing

This word suggests a gradual decrease in size, importance, or intensity.

lessening

This term highlights the process of becoming smaller or fewer.

descending

This implies movement from a higher to a lower point, literally or figuratively.

dropping

This is a more casual term for decreasing, suggesting a quick reduction.

going down

This is a simpler, more conversational way to express a decline.

slipping

This suggests a gradual and often unwanted decline.

on the decline

This phrase captures the idea of being in a state of continuous decrease.

FAQs

What's wrong with saying "declining down"?

The phrase "declining down" is considered redundant because "declining" already implies a downward trend. Using both words together doesn't add any extra meaning.

Is it ever correct to use the phrase "declining down"?

While occasionally found in published text, particularly in less formal contexts, it's generally better to use just "declining" or a synonym such as "decreasing" to avoid redundancy.

What can I say instead of "declining down"?

Use single words like "declining", "decreasing", or "falling". The best choice depends on the specific context but all convey the same idea more efficiently.

Which is correct, "the numbers are declining" or "the numbers are declining down"?

The correct option is "the numbers are declining". The addition of "down" is unnecessary and makes the sentence grammatically awkward. Use "declining" or alternatives like "the numbers are "decreasing"".