determinants

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "determinants" is correct and usable in written English.
It refers to factors that influence or determine the outcome or result of a situation. For example, "Several determinants contributed to the success of the new product launch."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The path from grammar school to art school, for instance, was one of the key determinants of great British pop music of the 60s and early 70s.

The Guardian

At the moment, the UN works out its main projection (called the medium variant) based on countries' fertility rates and life expectancies, the most important determinants of population growth.

The Economist

Studies like this help move economics forward, away from the ceteris paribus world of one-dimensional rational expectations, and into the modern-day reality where we come to realise that there are many determinants of satisfaction, and that those firms that can best understand their customers are in a competitive advantage in an ever-changing landscape of competition.G.G

The Economist

Once the dynamics of the labour market and the determinants of long-run growth are added, the reader has a comprehensive tool-kit for understanding how an economy works.Along the way, Mr Blanchard shows how this analytical framework can be put to use in understanding real policy issues from deficit-reduction in the United States to unemployment in Europe.

The Economist

The OECD, in a big cross-country analysis, concludes that "skill-biased technological change" is one of the main determinants of the rich world's wage inequality.

The Economist

Its two big determinants, the supply of workers and the rise in their productivity, have both fallen short.

The Economist

The most important determinants of longer-term productivity growth are the rate of adoption of existing and new technologies, the pace of domestic scientific innovation and changes in the organisation of production.

The Economist

But nutrition is one of the main determinants of health; agriculture is vital to nutrition-and the Gates foundation has ended up as one of the most important financiers of agricultural research today (especially into the crops of the poor, such as cassava and millet).

The Economist

One of the strongest determinants, besides wealth, seems to be good governance including a broad commitment to the rule of law.In this section Overview Output, demand and jobs Prices and wages Environmental Money and interest rates The Economist commodity price index Stockmarkets Trade, exchange rates and budgets Stockmarket turnover Reprints.

The Economist

Second, by stressing the "social determinants" of health they may have gone too far to one extreme and underplayed the more obvious link between health and income.

The Economist

Hence his interest, and the report's focus, on "social determinants" of health that are non-monetary.One example: job insecurity, and the resulting stress, have a proven link with mental health (see chart).

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing multiple factors, use "determinants" to emphasize that these factors collectively influence a specific outcome. For instance, "The main determinants of success in this project were teamwork, planning, and adaptability."

Common error

Avoid using "determinants" when you actually mean "determiners". "Determinants" refers to influencing factors, whereas "determiners" are words that introduce nouns (e.g., "the", "a", "this").

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "determinants" is as a plural noun. It refers to the various factors that influence or determine a particular outcome or situation. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the word is grammatically correct and widely used. Examples in Ludwig show it modifying various situations.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Science

34%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "determinants" functions as a plural noun used to describe factors that influence outcomes, as validated by Ludwig AI. Its usage is grammatically correct and very common, especially in News & Media and Science. While synonyms like "influencing factors" or "key drivers" exist, "determinants" carries a level of precision suitable for formal contexts. Remember to distinguish it from "determiners", which has a completely different meaning. The term appears frequently in authoritative sources like The Economist, reinforcing its credibility and widespread use.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

key drivers

Emphasizes the driving force behind a result.

significant influences

Highlights the degree of effect on a situation.

influencing factors

Changes the noun from determinant to factor, emphasizing the act of influencing.

affecting variables

Focuses on the variables that have an effect on a specific situation.

causal factors

Highlights the cause-and-effect relationship.

crucial variables

Highlights the importance of the changing qualities.

contributing elements

Focuses on the parts that contribute to a whole outcome.

root causes

Emphasizes the foundational reasons for something.

underlying reasons

Focuses on the reasons or rationale that support something.

primary considerations

Highlights what is most important to keep in mind.

FAQs

How do I use "determinants" in a sentence?

Use "determinants" to refer to factors that decisively affect the nature or outcome of something. For example, "Economic policies are significant "determinants" of social well-being."

What are some synonyms for "determinants"?

Alternatives for "determinants" include "influencing factors", "causal factors", or "key drivers", depending on the context.

Is it correct to use "determinants" in a formal context?

Yes, "determinants" is appropriate for formal contexts, especially in academic, scientific, or business writing where precise language is important. It effectively conveys the idea of influential factors.

What's the difference between "determinants" and "factors"?

While both terms refer to things that contribute to an outcome, "determinants" often implies a more decisive or influential role compared to general "factors". "Determinants" suggest that these elements play a key role in shaping the result.