diminish by half

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "diminish by half" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing a reduction in quantity, size, or intensity to 50% of its original amount. Example: "The company's profits are expected to diminish by half this quarter due to the economic downturn."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Runs scored per team in the National League did diminish by half a run per game after Aug. 10, almost exactly duplicating the Giants' decline and indicating that Giants hitters were neither helped nor hurt by the spy scheme.

The New York Times - Sports

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

His size diminished by half.

The Guardian - Books

In the Middle Ages the population of Europe had diminished by half since Roman times.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Drunk driving hasn't been eliminated, but it has been miraculously reduced: since 1980, alcohol-related traffic deaths, as a percentage of the population, have diminished by half.

The New Yorker

"Working together has diminished by half the number of opportunities that are available to us individually," Mr. Hoefler said, "but it's doubled our ability".

The New York Times

The ranks of Colombia's military and police rose to 415,000 from 279,000 in 2007, the report noted, while the leftist Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia diminished by half to about 8,000 fighters.

The New York Times

The bottom line is that the radiation danger diminishes by half every 30 years.

Forbes

If women had the same returns to factors as men, occupational differences would be diminished by half.

Economics of Education Review

Back in power, the first thing that I did I diminished by half the small business taxes.

Forbes

Under ambient light conditions, L. terrestris emergence on the soil surface was diminished by half compared with the darkened treatment and it peaked at the darkest period of the night.

Soil Biology and Biochemistry

I was a groupie meeting her rock star idol and I was a writer whose vocabulary diminished by half; I was using words from 6th grade.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "diminish by half", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being reduced. For example, specify whether it's profits, size, or quantity.

Common error

Avoid using "diminish by half" without specifying the subject being reduced. Ambiguity can confuse the reader.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "diminish by half" functions as a quantitative modifier, indicating the degree to which something is reduced. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. It specifies the extent of reduction, clarifying the change in size, quantity, or intensity.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

32%

Formal & Business

11%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Wiki

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "diminish by half" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to indicate a reduction to 50% of an original value, as determined by Ludwig AI. It is common across various domains, including news, science, and business. While "diminish" is a slightly more formal word, the phrase itself maintains a neutral tone. When employing this phrase, ensure you provide clear context regarding what is being reduced to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives include "reduce by 50 percent", "decrease by half", and "halve". Remember that accurately specifying what is being reduced is crucial for clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reduce by 50 percent

Expresses the same concept using a percentage, providing a numerical equivalent.

decrease by half

Uses "decrease" as a synonym for "diminish", keeping the rest of the phrase identical.

halve

A single verb that means to reduce to one half.

cut in half

Implies a more abrupt reduction, but conveys the same proportional change.

drop by 50%

Uses "drop" to suggest a decrease and uses a percentage to show the amount.

decline by half

Synonymous change with 'decline' replacing diminish.

lessen by 50 percent

Substitutes 'lessen' for diminish with a numeric value.

shrink by 50%

Uses the term 'shrink' to imply a reduction in size of some sort.

fall by half

Employs 'fall' to denote a decrease.

be reduced by half

Rephrases into passive voice.

FAQs

How can I use "diminish by half" in a sentence?

You can use "diminish by half" to describe a reduction to 50% of the original value. For example: "The company's profits are expected to diminish by half this year."

What can I say instead of "diminish by half"?

You can use alternatives like "reduce by 50 percent", "decrease by half", or "halve" depending on the context.

Is it more formal to say "diminish by half" or "reduce by half"?

"Diminish" tends to be slightly more formal than "reduce", but both are acceptable in most contexts. Choose the word that best fits the overall tone of your writing. See also "lessen by 50 percent".

Can "diminish by half" be used for abstract concepts, or only concrete quantities?

"Diminish by half" can be used for both abstract concepts (e.g., influence, power) and concrete quantities (e.g., size, profits). The key is that something measurable is being reduced.