declining incrementally

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "declining incrementally" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a gradual decrease or reduction in a particular quantity or quality over time. Example: "The company's profits have been declining incrementally over the past three quarters."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Mr. McAllister, a coastal biologist from Quogue who has worked for more than two years in the nongovernmental advocacy post of baykeeper, said the volunteers would help to halt "death by a thousand cuts" to an estuary that has been declining incrementally and is now in crisis.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

In the RAND Corporation's online tracking poll, which lists its results to the decimal place, Mr. Obama's lead declined incrementally, to 3.9 percentage points from 4.4 on Saturday.

The New York Times

ALMOST all prime ministers have a kind of moral half-life; their personal credibility starts off strong and then declines incrementally in office as they are buffeted by scandals and misjudgements.

The Economist

Unlike the fossil fuel industry's permanent subsidies, Congress has allowed the wind tax credit to expire six times in the last 20 years, and it is now set to decline incrementally until ending in 2020.

HuffPost

49 The CVD-free survival rates declined incrementally as the presence of MS features increased.

Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy

Patients with CSI of 0 showed a 92% PPV, which declined incrementally to 25% in patients with CSIs of ≥7.

Diabetes Care

Explains (exclaims!) Forrester's Frank Gillett, "Microsoft's share of OS on shipping PCs is still much more than 90percentt and declining only incrementally in the face of growing Apple Mac share.

TechCrunch

For the first $10 million in assets, he receives $1 of every $100, and that declines incrementally to 60 cents for every $100 from $200 million up to $400 million in assets.

The New York Times

The profit margin declines incrementally in the following two years as greater payroll allocations are made.

Bplans

It was noted that with incrementally decreasing exposure of the biofilms to the drugs, there was declining reduction in the number of dispersed cells from older biofilms.

Annals of Clinical Microbiology and Antimicrobials

Making the numbers add up is going to become incrementally more difficult as musicians steadily hike up their appearance fees, as a means of offsetting declining income from record sales.

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "declining incrementally" when you want to emphasize a slow, gradual decrease, often suggesting that the decrease is happening in small, barely noticeable steps. It's useful for describing trends or changes over time.

Common error

Avoid using "declining incrementally" in very informal settings. While grammatically correct, it can sound overly formal or technical in casual conversation. Simpler alternatives like "slowly decreasing" might be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "declining incrementally" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to describe how something is declining. Ludwig examples show it specifying the manner of decrease, highlighting its gradual nature.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "declining incrementally" describes a gradual decrease, happening in small steps over time. Ludwig AI confirms that this phrase is grammatically correct and usable in written English. While not overly formal, it's most suitable for neutral to formal contexts like news reports, scientific papers, or business documents. Remember to use simpler alternatives like "decreasing gradually" in casual conversation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

decreasing gradually

Emphasizes the gradual nature of the decrease, similar to the original phrase.

diminishing steadily

Highlights the consistent and ongoing nature of the decline.

reducing progressively

Focuses on the step-by-step reduction over time.

gradually lessening

Uses more common vocabulary to convey the same meaning.

slowly decreasing

Simple and direct, emphasizing the slow pace of the decline.

steadily falling

Implies a consistent downward trend.

incrementally receding

More formal and emphasizes the backward movement or decline.

progressively eroding

Suggests a wearing away or weakening over time.

declining in stages

Highlights the step-by-step nature of the decrease.

decreasing little by little

Emphasizes the small increments of decrease.

FAQs

What does "declining incrementally" mean?

The phrase "declining incrementally" means decreasing or reducing gradually, in small steps or amounts over time. It suggests a slow and often consistent downward trend.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "declining incrementally"?

It's appropriate to use "declining incrementally" when describing a gradual decrease in a formal or technical context, such as discussing economic trends, scientific data, or environmental changes.

What are some alternatives to "declining incrementally"?

Some alternatives include "decreasing gradually", "slowly decreasing", or "diminishing steadily". The best choice depends on the specific context and the desired level of formality.

How can I use "declining incrementally" in a sentence?

You can use it like this: "The company's profits have been declining incrementally over the past few quarters." Or: "The population of the species is declining incrementally due to habitat loss."