decrease the likelihood

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "decrease the likelihood" is correct and can be used in written English.
You could use it to describe a situation where something is made less likely to happen. For example: "Enrolling in driver's ed classes will decrease the likelihood of getting into an accident."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Prison does little to address these issues or to decrease the likelihood of recidivism.

The New York Times

Perhaps slow-going negotiations will decrease the likelihood of such an outbreak.

The New York Times

She now has medication that can decrease the likelihood of a sleep attack, though it is not a cure.

The New York Times

Pre-92 head League tables and rankings increase competitiveness and decrease the likelihood that institutions will collaborate.

The Guardian

Through role-playing and practicing negotiation skills, we can decrease the likelihood of consequences that will affect adolescents for the rest of their lives.

The New York Times

A version of this thinking applies to life in college: there are checkpoints and speed bumps that could decrease the likelihood of harm.

The New Yorker

"If a person is the victim of a sexual assault," he said, "there are things they can do to decrease the likelihood of it happening again.

The New York Times

Such a hole, he said, would cause an immediate and precipitous drop in blood pressure and decrease the likelihood of bleeding from other wounds.

The New York Times

The doctor said he increased the dosage of some medications and prescribed an additional medication to decrease the likelihood of blood clotting, "thus preventing restenosis".

The New York Times - Health

"The difficulty for me as a politician is what kind of slogan is it to say our aim should be to decrease the likelihood of civil war?

The Guardian

Yet there is no FDA-approved treatment to decrease the likelihood of relapse in rehabilitated addicts.

Chemico-Biological Interactions

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming to "decrease the likelihood" of an undesirable outcome, clearly identify the actions or measures taken to achieve this reduction. For instance, "Implementing stricter security protocols will decrease the likelihood of data breaches".

Common error

Avoid assuming that correlation equals causation. Just because one action is taken to "decrease the likelihood" of an event doesn't guarantee it won't happen. For example, even with safety gear, accidents in construction may still occur. Understand statistical and probabilistic nature behind the connection among variables.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "decrease the likelihood" functions as a verb phrase, often acting as part of a larger clause that describes how to reduce the probability of an event. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and frequent usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

39%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

7%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "decrease the likelihood" is a versatile expression used to describe efforts to reduce the probability of an event. Ludwig AI confirms that it's grammatically sound and frequently appears in diverse contexts, especially scientific and news-related articles. While phrases like "reduce the probability" or "lower the odds" offer similar meanings, "decrease the likelihood" maintains a somewhat formal and objective tone. Remember to avoid assuming causation when using this phrase; correlation does not always mean causation. Use this phrase when you want to recommend or indicate preventive actions that minimize the chance of something undesirable happening.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reduce the probability

Focuses on the mathematical or statistical aspect of reducing chance.

lessen the chance

Uses a more straightforward approach, directly indicating a reduction in the possibility of something happening.

lower the odds

Uses more informal language, emphasizing the chances of something happening.

mitigate the risk

Emphasizes reducing potential negative outcomes or dangers.

minimize the potential

Highlights the act of reducing the possibility of something happening to the smallest degree.

diminish the prospect

Focuses on reducing the visibility or prominence of a future possibility.

curtail the prospect

Uses more formal language, indicating a reduction in the outlook or possibility.

dwindle the possibility

Implies a gradual decrease in the possibility of something occurring.

weaken the probability

Suggests making the probability less strong or influential.

impair the chances

Implies damaging or weakening the chances of something.

FAQs

How can I use "decrease the likelihood" in a sentence?

You can use "decrease the likelihood" to describe actions taken to reduce the probability of an event. For example, "Regular exercise can "decrease the likelihood" of developing heart disease".

What are some alternatives to "decrease the likelihood"?

Alternatives include phrases like "reduce the probability", "lower the odds", or "mitigate the risk", each carrying slightly different connotations.

Is it better to say "decrease the likelihood" or "reduce the likelihood"?

Both "decrease the likelihood" and "reduce the likelihood" are grammatically correct and widely accepted. The choice often depends on the specific context and desired tone.

What's the difference between "decrease the likelihood" and "increase the likelihood"?

"Decrease the likelihood" means to make something less probable, while "increase the likelihood" means to make something more probable. They are antonyms, representing opposite effects on the probability of an event.