decrease to less than

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "decrease to less than" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing a reduction in quantity or value that falls below a specified threshold. Example: "The temperature is expected to decrease to less than 20 degrees Celsius tonight."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

America's white population is aging and is projected to decrease to less than 50% by 2050.

The Guardian - Opinion

By adding 3% Si, hot tearing could be prevented; however, at the same time, elongation was found to decrease to less than 4%.

Journal of Alloys and Compounds

By day 7, sirolimus blood levels decrease to less than 3 ng/ml and subsequently become minimally quantifiable, if at all, by day 14 and beyond [18].

Journal of Ophthalmic Inflammation and Infection

Initial holes drilled in test discs were oversize, however, as more holes were machined in the workpiece, hole size tended to decrease to less than the drill diameter.

Surface and Coatings Technology

As expected, the activities of the free peroxidase decreased rapidly in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, with a decrease to less than 50% of the initial activities occurring within 40 min.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Yano et al. (1989) found that the effective porosities decrease to less than a few percent at the 2 3 km depth, using the drillcores obtained from volcanic and geothermal areas in Japan.

Earth, Planets and Space

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

39 human-written examples

In Cienfuegos, a large city on the southern coast, obesity rates decreased to less than 7percentt in 1995 from more than 14percentt in 1991.

The New York Times - Health

In contrast, the number of fatalities from traffic accidents has decreased to less than 30,000 per year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's most recent data.

The New York Times

The burst release was decreased to less than 10% in phosphate-buffered saline within 2 h.

Acta Biomaterialia

The PSI values decreased to less than 90, when fentanyl was administered more than 15 μg.

JA Clinical Reports

The delay further decreased to less than 2.0s when node density increases to 200 nodes.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "decrease to less than", ensure that the units of measurement are clearly defined for clarity and precision.

Common error

Avoid using incorrect prepositions such as "decrease to lower than" as it's grammatically redundant; "decrease to less than" is sufficient.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "decrease to less than" functions as a prepositional phrase indicating a reduction in quantity, value, or degree below a specified threshold. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

15%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "decrease to less than" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to indicate a reduction below a specific threshold. Ludwig AI confirms that it is correct and usable in written English. Primarily found in scientific and news contexts, its function is to quantitatively describe a reduction that meets a certain level. When using the phrase, ensure clarity by defining the units of measurement and avoiding redundant expressions. Alternatives include "fall below" and "reduce below". Overall, it is a versatile phrase appropriate for formal and neutral contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fall below

This alternative is more concise and directly indicates a drop below a specific value.

drop below

Similar to 'fall below', this emphasizes a sudden decline.

decline below

This is a more formal way of saying something decreases.

reduce below

This phrase highlights the action of reducing something to a lower level.

dip below

Implies a temporary decrease below a certain point.

sink below

Suggests a more significant and possibly irreversible drop.

diminish to under

Similar to decrease but may apply to non numerical parameters.

lessen to under

Synonymous with diminishing to under, can apply to qualities as well.

plummet beneath

Suggests a rapid and dramatic decrease.

erode to under

Implies a gradual and continuous decrease.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "decrease to less than" in a sentence?

You can use alternatives like "fall below", "drop below", or "reduce below" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "decrease to lower than" instead of "decrease to less than"?

No, "decrease to lower than" is considered redundant because "decrease" already implies a reduction. Using "decrease to less than" is the correct and more concise way to express the idea.

What is the difference between "decrease to less than" and "increase to more than"?

"Decrease to less than" indicates a reduction below a specified threshold, while "increase to more than" indicates a rise above a specified threshold. They are opposite in direction but follow the same grammatical structure.

In what contexts is it appropriate to use "decrease to less than"?

The phrase "decrease to less than" is appropriate in various contexts, including scientific reports, news articles, and business documents, to describe a reduction in quantity, value, or level below a specific point. For example, "The temperature will decrease to less than 0 degrees Celsius tonight."