decreasingly

USAGE SUMMARY

"decreasingly" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe something that is happening in a manner that diminishes or reduces over time. Example: "The temperature is decreasingly stable as winter approaches." Alternative expressions include "less and less," "in a diminishing manner," and "to a lesser extent."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"With climate change becoming increasingly threatening, and decreasingly talked about in the media, we wanted to find a way to bring this critical issue back into the headlines while making people laugh," said Lizzie Gillet, 10 10 global campaign director.

The Guardian

The more fanciful the proposal, the stronger the commitment not to give ground to the White House.On the front of big-picture public opinion, I hazard that Mr Ryan seeks to make his vision of government seem decreasingly radical and increasingly reasonable simply by repeating it.

The Economist

If we faithfully apply the economists' idea of "revealed preference", it seems we should infer that students decreasingly care to use their time at university preparing to land highly-paid jobs.

The Economist

Moreover, the dramatic growth of executive-branch power has made regulation decreasingly a matter of C-Span-able legislative-branch policymaking and increasingly a matter of bureaucratic fiat.

The Economist

Illeana Ros-Lehtinen, who became notorious this month for hanging up on Mr Obama (she thought he was a prank caller), is a local powerhouse in a decreasingly Republican area.Iowa-04 - Mr Obama won by 53-45 in a district that Mr Kerry lost by three points.

The Economist

But SB1070, partially blocked by a federal judge, looks decreasingly likely to become a model.

The Economist

Working mothers were decreasingly keen to cook hence the rise of the takeaway but still had to prepare meals, and they did not want to spend their evenings slaving away in a space cut off from the rest of the family.Out went the idea of the kitchen as service area, where housewives scrubbed, chopped and boiled.

The Economist

Americans may continue to watch talk shows that air embarrassing personal facts about their presidents; but they may be decreasingly moved by them.

The Economist

Then a boy explained: many of the pupils fly first class instead.Yet foreign students, whether educated in British private schools or elsewhere, are decreasingly likely to go to English universities.

The Economist

Nobody could get that impression now: Britons are mixing at extraordinary speed.The 2011 census revealed a country that is decreasingly white and British: England's ethnic-minority population grew from 9% of the total in 2001 to 14%.

The Economist

As the concept of open innovation has become ever more fashionable, the corporate R&D lab has become decreasingly relevant.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair it with its opposite, "increasingly", in the same sentence or paragraph to create a strong rhetorical contrast and show shifting dynamics.

Common error

Do not use "decreasingly" where a simple adjective like "less" or "lower" is required. For example, say "There is less interest" rather than "There is decreasingly interest", as the adverb must modify an adjective, verb or another adverb rather than a noun.

How to use

Learn how to use "decreasingly" with practical examples and tips.

How to use

Linguistic Context

As an adverb, its primary function is to modify adjectives, participles and verbs to indicate a diminishing degree or frequency. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it often precedes evaluative adjectives like "relevant", "plausible" or "likely", serving to quantify a negative trend in perception or probability.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

88%

Encyclopedias

10%

Science

2%

Less common in

Social Media

1%

Wiki

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

Analysis from Ludwig confirms that "decreasingly" is a robust and sophisticated adverb used to signal a downward trend. It is especially prevalent in News & Media and Encyclopedias, where writers need to describe shifting social, political or scientific landscapes with precision. While it is grammatically interchangeable with phrases like "less and less", its formal tone makes it a better fit for professional or academic environments. Ludwig AI highlights that the term is most effective when modifying adjectives that describe relevance, probability or frequency, helping writers convey complex changes in a single, concise word.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

less and less

Provides a more idiomatic and conversational feel compared to the formal adverb.

progressively less

Emphasizes a steady and ongoing nature of the decline.

increasingly less

A common rhetorical structure used to highlight the growing momentum of a decrease.

to a diminishing degree

Shifts the focus to the measurable extent of the change rather than the manner.

ever less

Adds a literary or emphatic tone to the description of the trend.

in a declining manner

Focuses specifically on the mode or process of the reduction.

with reducing frequency

Used when the decrease specifically refers to how often something occurs.

at a waning rate

Uses a more evocative and metaphorical verb to describe the slowdown.

to a smaller extent

A more literal and less descriptive way to indicate a reduction.

minimally

Suggests a reduction that has reached or is reaching a very low point.

FAQs

How do I use "decreasingly" in a sentence?

You can use "decreasingly" to modify an adjective to show a trend over time, for example: "As the technology aged, it became "decreasingly effective" in modern environments."

What is the difference between "decreasingly" and "less and less"?

"decreasingly" is more formal and suited for academic or journalistic writing, while "less and less" is a common idiomatic expression used in everyday conversation and informal texts.

Can I say "increasingly less" instead of "decreasingly"?

Yes, "increasingly less" is a very common alternative found in News & Media sources. It emphasizes the fact that the 'lessening' itself is growing more prominent over time.

Is "decreasingly" a real word?

Yes, "decreasingly" is a perfectly valid English adverb derived from the verb 'decrease'. It is widely used by reputable sources like The New York Times and The Economist to describe diminishing trends.