drop to a minimum

USAGE SUMMARY

"drop to a minimum" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation where something has decreased significantly. For example, "Once the new regulations were put in place, traffic accidents dropped to a minimum."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It is known that 6 months after immunization with an inactivated BoHV-1 vaccine, virus-specific antibodies drop to a minimum value.

BMC Veterinary Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

As it is, their salaries have dropped to a minimum base pay of $65,000 from $78,000 (although most earn more).

The New York Times - Arts

The temperature at the visible surface is about 5,800 K but drops to a minimum about 4,000 K at approximately 500 kilometres above the photosphere.

Encyclopedia Britannica

While the temperature of the Sun drops from 15,000,000 K at the centre to 5,800 K at the photosphere, a surprising reversal occurs above that point; the temperature drops to a minimum of 4,000 K, then begins to rise in the chromosphere, a layer about 7,000 kilometres high at a temperature of 8,000 K.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The idle time is the part, where the current drops to a minimum.

EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems

An initial leukocyte count of 45.000/μl rapidly dropped to a minimum of 600/μl.

Molecular and Cellular Pediatrics

Dissolved Fe peaked upon injection of CO2, dropped to a minimum value and then increased linearly with time.

Geochemical Transactions

As the aqueous to organic phase ratio increases, uranium extraction efficiency drops to a minimum of 40%% (see Table 2, V aq/V org = 4 1).

International Journal of Industrial Chemistry

The resistivity of the TZO film with N = 20 at first drops to a minimum value of 8.874 × 10−4 Ω cm and then goes up with the increase of the Ti contents.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Trends in the δ18O of DIP were seasonally consistent with high values near the mouth reflecting oceanic phosphate (19.1‰ 20.3‰), dropping to a minimum value near Hummingbird Island in the central slough (point source, 14.1‰ 14.4‰), and increasing again near the head of the slough, reflecting fertilizer input (18.9‰ 19.3‰).

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science

This drops to a minimum period of around 8 years for r around 0.40 to 0.35 and starts to increase up to a period of approximately 12 years at r = 0.21.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "drop to a minimum", ensure the context clearly indicates what is decreasing and to what level it is decreasing. For instance, "After the intervention, infection rates dropped to a minimum."

Common error

Avoid using "drop to a minimum" when referring to a desirable outcome. This phrase implies a reduction to the lowest possible level, which might not always be a positive result. For example, don't say "Effort dropped to a minimum" if you meant effort was optimized, not reduced.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "drop to a minimum" functions as a verbal phrase indicating a process of reduction or decrease. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is used to express a state where something has been reduced to its lowest possible level. The examples showcase its usage across various domains, describing a descent to the lowest quantity or degree.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

65%

News & Media

25%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "drop to a minimum" is a versatile phrase used to describe a significant reduction to the lowest possible level. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is grammatically correct and widely applicable. Predominantly found in scientific and news contexts, it effectively conveys that something has decreased to its nadir. When using this phrase, ensure that the context clearly indicates the subject of the reduction and the level reached. While alternatives such as "decrease to a nadir" or "fall to the lowest level" exist, "drop to a minimum" remains a clear and common choice for expressing a substantial decline.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

decrease to a nadir

Uses "nadir" instead of "minimum" to emphasize the lowest point, which might sound more technical.

fall to the lowest level

Replaces "drop" with "fall" and "minimum" with "lowest level" for a slightly more descriptive tone.

decline to its least

Uses "decline" instead of "drop" and "least" for a simpler, less emphatic expression.

reduce to the smallest amount

Replaces "drop" with "reduce" and "minimum" with "smallest amount", focusing on the action of reduction.

diminish to the uttermost

Employs "diminish" and "uttermost" for a more dramatic and emphatic effect.

sink to rock bottom

Uses the idiomatic expression "rock bottom" to convey reaching the absolute lowest point.

plummet to the floor

Replaces "drop" with "plummet" to give a sense of dramatic and rapid decline, not interchangeable.

bottom out at

Uses the phrasal verb "bottom out" to describe reaching the lowest point and stabilizing.

hit an all-time low

Implies reaching a historical low point, adding a temporal dimension not present in the original phrase.

touch the lowest ebb

Uses the term "ebb", which refers to the receding of the tide, to illustrate a decline to its lowest point. This term is mostly used in a financial/economical context.

FAQs

How can I use "drop to a minimum" in a sentence?

Use "drop to a minimum" to describe a significant decrease to the lowest possible level. For example, "After the new safety measures were implemented, accidents "dropped to a minimum"".

What does "drop to a minimum" mean?

It signifies a reduction to the lowest possible quantity, degree, or level. It implies that something has decreased as much as it possibly can.

What are some alternatives to "drop to a minimum"?

Alternatives include "decrease to a nadir", "fall to the lowest level", or "reduce to the smallest amount". The choice depends on the specific context and desired nuance.

In what contexts is it appropriate to use "drop to a minimum"?

This phrase is appropriate in contexts where you want to emphasize a significant reduction to the lowest point. This could be in discussing statistics, scientific measurements, or any situation where a quantity decreases substantially.