drop slightly

USAGE SUMMARY

"drop slightly" is a grammatically correct phrase and can be used in written English.
It means to decrease or lower something by a small amount. Example: The temperature is expected to drop slightly tomorrow, so make sure to bring a light jacket.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

England wisely drop slightly deeper instead of wasting energy chasing the man on the ball.

The Telegraph

Oil consumption in industrial nations is expected to drop slightly this year.

The New York Times

For 2008, Amgen said it expected revenue to drop slightly to $14.2 billion to $14.6 billion.

The New York Times

But the mind frets and the feet slow; tension can cause the elbow to drop slightly on a service toss.

The New Yorker

The DMGT chairman, Viscount Rothermere, saw his total remuneration drop slightly year on year from £1.32m to £1.3m.

The Guardian

She said, "Since we changed it, we have seen our student debt levels start to drop slightly".

The New York Times

School enrollment is expected to continue to rise slightly through 2005, to 53.5 million, and then drop slightly through 2010.

The New York Times

Twenty-five other states also saw their prison populations drop slightly, with New Jersey, New York, Florida, and Texas each shedding at least 1,000 state prisoners.

The Washington Post

Though Mr Blair saw his share of votes drop slightly at the 2005 election, he could still boast a majority of 18,457 votes.

The Guardian

Until about 2006, almost all studies on salt and health outcomes relied on the well-known fact that blood pressure can drop slightly when people eat less salt.

The New York Times - Health

Having a bigger deposit will mean that if prices drop slightly you will not be trapped in a property by negative equity.

The Guardian - Money

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing statistical data or trends, use "drop slightly" to indicate a minor decrease that may not be statistically significant but is still worth noting.

Common error

Avoid using "drop slightly" when the decrease is negligible or within the margin of error. Ensure the decrease is real and relevant to the context before describing it as such.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "drop slightly" functions primarily as a verbal phrase, where "drop" is the main verb indicating a decrease and "slightly" is an adverb modifying the verb to indicate the degree of the decrease. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "drop slightly" is a versatile and grammatically sound phrase used to indicate a minor decrease or reduction. As Ludwig AI confirms, its common usage spans across diverse domains such as news, science, and business. Although extremely common, it's crucial to use it accurately when describing actual changes and to avoid exaggeration. Remember to use "drop slightly" when the decrease is real and avoid using it when the difference is negligible.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

decrease marginally

Emphasizes the small degree of reduction. Replaces "drop" with a synonym and "slightly" with a similar adverb.

decline a bit

Uses a different verb to express the reduction, "decline", and replaces "slightly" with the more informal "a bit".

fall modestly

Substitutes "drop" with "fall" and "slightly" with "modestly", maintaining a formal tone and similar meaning.

recede marginally

Replaces "drop" with a more nuanced synonym, "recede", implying a gradual decrease, and keeps "marginally" for precision.

diminish imperceptibly

Indicates a very small decrease, perhaps one that is hard to notice. Replaces "slightly" with "imperceptibly".

lessen to a degree

A more verbose alternative, replacing "drop" with "lessen" and "slightly" with "to a degree".

reduce by a fraction

More specific, implying the decrease is a small proportion. Replaces "slightly" with "by a fraction".

ease off a little

Uses more informal language, replacing "drop" with "ease off" and "slightly" with "a little".

go down incrementally

Suggests a gradual decrease over time. Replaces "drop" with "go down" and "slightly" with "incrementally".

slump gently

Uses a different verb with a slightly negative connotation. Implies a gentle and gradual decline.

FAQs

How can I use "drop slightly" in a sentence?

You can use "drop slightly" to describe a small decrease in a value or quantity. For example, "The temperature is expected to "drop slightly" overnight" or "Sales may "drop slightly" during the off-season".

What are some alternatives to "drop slightly"?

Some alternatives include "decrease marginally", "decline a bit", or "fall modestly". The best choice depends on the context and desired level of formality.

Is it more appropriate to say "drop slightly" or "decrease significantly"?

The choice depends on the magnitude of the change. "Drop slightly" indicates a small change, while "decrease significantly" indicates a larger, more important change. Use "drop slightly" when the change is small and not necessarily statistically important.

Which is correct, "drop slightly" or "dropped slightly"?

Both are correct, but they are used in different tenses. "Drop slightly" is used in the present or future tense, while "dropped slightly" is used in the past tense. For example, "Prices may "drop slightly" next month" versus "Prices "dropped slightly" last month".