declining steadily

USAGE SUMMARY

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

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Amphibians are good indicators of human impact, declining steadily worldwide.

Acta Oecologica

School-based physical activity has been declining steadily for years.

The New York Times - Health

The confidence level has been declining steadily ever since.

The New York Times

Many customers chose nothing.Partly as a result, Sun's revenues have been declining steadily.

The Economist

The number of Ebola cases reported each week had been declining steadily for a month.

The New York Times - Health

It shows that confidence to buy on market dips has been declining steadily for individual investors since 2009.

The New York Times

The world's abortion rate, which began declining steadily in the 1990s, has stopped falling, according to a new study.

The New York Times - Health

It is declining steadily, and has reached the level at which it was measured before the accident.

The New York Times

The company has removed ephedra from its products, and its sales have been declining steadily in recent months.

The New York Times

If you go back in time, by estimating brain size, you can see community size declining steadily.

The Guardian - Tech

After declining steadily since the fourth quarter of 2000, before the beginning of the recession, investment edged up 1.5percentt.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "declining steadily", ensure that the context clearly indicates what is decreasing and over what period. Providing specific data or examples can strengthen your statement.

Common error

Avoid assuming that a steady decline automatically implies a specific cause. While a decline may correlate with certain events, it doesn't necessarily prove a direct causal relationship. Further investigation is often needed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "declining steadily" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to describe the manner in which something is decreasing. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage and provides numerous examples showcasing its role in specifying a gradual reduction.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

28%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "declining steadily" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression that signifies a gradual reduction over time. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable across various contexts, particularly in news, science, and business. When using this phrase, be mindful of clearly stating what is declining and avoiding assumptions about causation. Alternatives such as "decreasing gradually" or "falling consistently" can provide subtle variations in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

decreasing gradually

Replaces "declining" with "decreasing" and "steadily" with "gradually", maintaining the core meaning of a slow reduction.

gradually decreasing

Inverts the original phrase while retaining the core meaning. It simply reorders the words to achieve the same effect.

steadily decreasing

Similar to "gradually decreasing", this reorders the original phrase without significant semantic change.

falling consistently

Substitutes "declining" with "falling" and "steadily" with "consistently", emphasizing the continuous nature of the decrease.

dwindling slowly

Utilizes "dwindling" and "slowly" to depict a gradual reduction in number or amount.

diminishing progressively

Uses "diminishing" and "progressively" to suggest a gradual reduction in size, importance, or quality.

dropping consistently

Offers a more casual alternative, replacing "declining" with "dropping" while maintaining the sense of a continuous decrease.

eroding incrementally

Employs "eroding" and "incrementally" to convey a sense of gradual decay or wearing away.

slipping continuously

Replaces "declining" with "slipping", suggesting a gradual and unwanted descent.

reducing systematically

Implies a methodical and planned reduction, which might not always be the case with "declining steadily".

FAQs

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

You can use "declining steadily" to describe a gradual decrease in something over time. For example, "The company's profits have been declining steadily over the past few years".

What are some alternatives to "declining steadily"?

Alternatives include "decreasing gradually", "falling consistently", or "diminishing progressively", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "declining steadily"?

Yes, "declining steadily" is grammatically correct. It uses the present participle of "decline" with the adverb "steadily" to describe an ongoing process.

What is the difference between "declining steadily" and "declining rapidly"?

"Declining steadily" implies a slow, gradual decrease, while "declining rapidly" suggests a much faster decrease. The choice depends on the speed of the change you're describing.