diminish your capability

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "diminish your capability" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when discussing how certain actions, decisions, or circumstances may reduce someone's skills or effectiveness. Example: "Excessive stress can diminish your capability to perform well in high-pressure situations."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

It diminishes your authority.

TechCrunch

Stuart Smith, the chief executive of Nopsema, told the inquiry that releasing documents like environmental plans or safety cases that companies produce "could influence the nature of the information that companies provide and therefore diminish our capability to make an assessment".

The Guardian

Cutting back on The A.P. will surely diminish the capability of America's broadest source of dependable news available to thousands of media that cannot provide the great coverage displayed daily in The New York Times.

The New York Times

Less rounded sands have greater inter-particle frictional resistance that may diminish the capability of roots to displace surrounding particles during growth.

Geoderma

The Democrats' foreign policy – defined by a series of actions designed to appease our enemies and diminish the capability and morale of our military men and women – is profoundly dangerous.

Los Angeles Times

Thus, the genipin-cross-linking would not diminish the capability of the silk sericin/PVA films to adsorb proteins for biological signaling.

BioMed Research International

A product of heightened stimuli, this is known to diminish our attention capability.

The Guardian

"Any move by the Tories to diminish capability or to reduce the UK's ability to support renewable tech will be fiercely opposed by the Lib Dems," he said.

The Guardian

We found that phases not picked in training data diminish the detection capability of the neural network and proper preparation of training data is therefore fundamental.

Computers & Geosciences

Former Defence Secretary Tory Liam Fox told the BBC the UK needed to tackle IS in every way it could, including taking part in air strikes to "diminish their military capability".

BBC

The caveat of this approach is that reducing JNK activity in undead cells could potentially diminish their signaling capability.

eLife

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing the impact of external factors on skill, use "diminish your capability" to emphasize a gradual reduction rather than a complete loss. For example, "Stress can diminish your capability to focus."

Common error

While "diminish your capability" is correct, consider whether a simpler phrase like "reduce your ability" communicates more clearly to your audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "diminish your capability" functions as a verb phrase combined with a possessive pronoun and noun, indicating a reduction in someone's skill or effectiveness. Although Ludwig shows no exact matches, several examples demonstrate the use of "diminish" with related nouns, supporting its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

31%

News & Media

31%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "diminish your capability" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe a reduction in someone's skill or effectiveness. Though Ludwig found no exact matches for the phrase, many examples support the use of "diminish" in similar contexts. It is often used in neutral and formal settings, with similar alternatives being "reduce your ability" or "impair your skill". While grammatically sound, consider the audience and context when deciding between this phrase and simpler alternatives for clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reduce your ability

Replaces "capability" with "ability", offering a more common synonym.

impair your skill

Substitutes "diminish" with "impair" and "capability" with "skill", indicating a weakening of proficiency.

weaken your capacity

Replaces "diminish" with "weaken" and "capability" with "capacity", suggesting a reduction in overall power or strength.

lessen your potential

Replaces "diminish your capability" with "lessen your potential", focusing on reducing future possibilities.

undermine your strength

Substitutes "diminish" with "undermine" and "capability" with "strength", indicating a gradual weakening.

cripple your competence

Replaces "diminish" with "cripple" and "capability" with "competence", suggesting a severe reduction in ability.

hinder your proficiency

Substitutes "diminish" with "hinder" and "capability" with "proficiency", indicating an obstacle to skill.

compromise your effectiveness

Replaces "diminish your capability" with "compromise your effectiveness", focusing on reducing successful outcomes.

erode your aptitude

Replaces "diminish" with "erode" and "capability" with "aptitude", suggesting a gradual decline in natural talent.

restrict your talent

Replaces "diminish" with "restrict" and "capability" with "talent", indicating a limitation on inherent skill.

FAQs

How can I use "diminish your capability" in a sentence?

You can use "diminish your capability" to describe how something reduces your skills or effectiveness. For instance, "Lack of sleep can diminish your capability to perform complex tasks."

What can I say instead of "diminish your capability"?

You can use alternatives like "reduce your ability", "impair your skill", or "weaken your capacity depending on the context.

Is it better to say "reduce your ability" or "diminish your capability"?

"Reduce your ability" is more common and straightforward. "Diminish your capability" is correct but may sound more formal. Choose based on your desired tone and audience.

What's the difference between "diminish your capability" and "lose your ability"?

"Diminish your capability" implies a gradual reduction in skill, while "lose your ability" suggests a complete loss. The choice depends on the specific context you're describing.