decrease substantially

USAGE SUMMARY

"decrease substantially" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when describing a significant reduction in quantity, size, or degree. For example: "The company's profits are expected to decrease substantially this quarter." Alternative expressions include "drop significantly" and "decline markedly."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He explained: "It's a big jump from a 9-minute mile to an 8-minute mile, and shock absorption can decrease substantially making that move".

The New York Times - Health

As the Institute for Fiscal Studies has recently shown, child poverty is likely to increase and most people's real incomes are likely to decrease substantially.

The Guardian - Opinion

If those fee payments decrease substantially, it is unclear if Hollinger Inc. can make its next interest payment of $7.4 million, due in March.

The New York Times

Demand for food and other necessities is inelastic, and unless prices decrease substantially for consumer goods, lower paid workers will always spend a disproportionate amount of their income on basic items.

The New York Times

"This excess is going to decrease substantially" by limiting the way in which dollars were used so freely in the economy, Mr. Robles said.

The New York Times

"If the app is fast, functional and available, the chances of getting a low rating decrease substantially".

TechCrunch

Also, the reaction time decrease substantially and, in some cases, the yields are higher.

European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry

Both composite strength and composite modulus are found to decrease substantially with increasing waviness ratio.

Polymer

If the listric fault geometry is used, however, the misfits decrease substantially to 1.28, 1.52 and 4.05 cm, respectively.

Earth, Planets and Space

The results show that the values of GF decrease substantially with increasing coarseness of aggregate grain structure, λ.

Construction and Building Materials

This is partly because the growth increases almost linearly until 300 kg N ha-1 (Fig. 1), after which the marginal befit begins to decrease substantially.

Forest Ecosystems

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "decrease substantially", quantify the decrease with specific numbers or percentages to provide a clearer understanding of the reduction.

Common error

Avoid using "decrease substantially" without providing context or comparison. Always specify what is decreasing and, if possible, provide a reference point to understand the magnitude of the change.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "decrease substantially" functions as a verb phrase, where "decrease" is the main verb and "substantially" is an adverb modifying the verb to indicate the extent of the decrease. This phrase is used to describe a significant reduction.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

68%

News & Media

22%

Wiki

3%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "decrease substantially" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that describes a significant reduction. Ludwig's analysis of numerous examples shows it is most common in scientific and news contexts, and carries a neutral to formal tone. When using this phrase, ensure you provide sufficient context and quantification for clarity. Be sure to distinguish it from similar phrases, like "decline significantly" or "drop sharply", to best suit the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fall considerably

Emphasizes the extent of the reduction.

decline significantly

Highlights the importance of the reduction.

reduce considerably

Highlights the amount of reduction achieved.

drop sharply

Focuses on the abruptness of the reduction.

diminish significantly

Focuses on the importance of the reduction in size or impact.

plummet dramatically

Implies a rapid and significant decrease.

shrink substantially

Implies a reduction in size or volume.

recede noticeably

Suggests a visible or easily observed reduction.

lessen markedly

Indicates a clear and distinct decrease.

alleviate considerably

Indicates a significant reduction in severity or intensity.

FAQs

How can I use "decrease substantially" in a sentence?

You can use "decrease substantially" to describe a significant reduction in quantity, size, or degree. For example: "The number of errors, in contrast, did not "decrease substantially" in the Accuracy1 task compared to Baseline in either group, which was unexpected."

What phrases are similar to "decrease substantially"?

Similar phrases include "fall considerably", "decline significantly", or "drop sharply", all of which suggest a notable reduction.

Is it better to say "decrease substantially" or "reduce substantially"?

"Decrease substantially" and "reduce substantially" are very similar and often interchangeable. The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey, as "decrease" focuses on the act of diminishing, while "reduce" implies an action taken to make something smaller.

When should I use "decrease substantially" instead of "decrease slightly"?

Use "decrease substantially" when the reduction is significant and noticeable. If the reduction is minor, "decrease slightly" or other similar phrases would be more appropriate.