four times lower

USAGE SUMMARY

"four times lower" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it whenever you need to describe a decrease in a quantity by a factor of four. For example, "Comparing the prices of similar products, we found that ours was four times lower than theirs."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

This is four times lower than the required clock speed of the conventional transmitter to achieve the same SNDR.

AEU - International Journal of Electronics and Communications

In France, where teenagers have easy access to emergency contraception, the rate of teenage pregnancy is four times lower than in the United States.

The New York Times

Evidence shows that counselling services are highly effective, but student-to-counsellor ratios can be three to four times lower than the required number.

The Guardian

Despite apprehensions for illegal entry being four times lower than they were in 2000, these two counties in the Rio Grande Valley are hot spots for arrests.

The Washington Post

The results indicate that local pressures from stationkeeping in managed ice are two to four times lower than the transiting cases most analogous to previous data.

Cold Regions Science and Technology

The CO2 mitigation costs of co-capture plants is over four times lower than their separate-CO2 and H2S capture counterparts.

Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies 7 Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Greenhouse Gas Control Technologies 5– September 2004, Vancouver, Canada

The coefficient of friction for the HVOF-sprayed nanostructured WC 12Co coating was four times lower than that for the conventionally sprayed WC 12Co coatings.

Surface and Coatings Technology

Research into the Great Barrier Reef has discovered coral disease levels are four times lower inside no-take marine reserves – where fishing is banned – than outside reserves.

The Guardian

As the 9-minute video by directors Robert Wallace, Lilian Painter, and Elvira Salinas explains, these controls have resulted in a deforestation rate four times lower than surrounding regions.

Yale University

With a traffic density four times lower than that of the city's regular bike paths, some 60km of Copenhagen's integrated bike paths are now classified as "green routes", with a further 57km planned, city hall said.

The Guardian

The simulations showed that the electric energy consumption by the electric vehicles is about four times lower than fuel energy consumption by the conventional vehicles undergoing a standard test schedule.

Energy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing two values using "four times lower", ensure the context clearly defines which value serves as the reference point. This avoids ambiguity and ensures accurate communication.

Common error

Avoid ambiguity by explicitly stating what the comparison is being made against. For instance, instead of just saying "The cost is four times lower", specify "The cost is four times lower than the competitor's price" to prevent misinterpretation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "four times lower" functions as an adverbial modifier, quantifying the degree to which something is less than another. Ludwig AI confirms its usability, and its purpose is to provide a specific measurement of reduction or decrease.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

59%

News & Media

37%

Academia

2%

Less common in

Wiki

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "four times lower" is a common and grammatically correct way to express that a value is reduced to a quarter of another. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's widely used in contexts ranging from science and news to academia. When using "four times lower", ensure clear reference points to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives like "a quarter of the amount" or "decreased fourfold" can be used for variety, but "four times lower" provides a direct and easily understandable comparison. This phrase is suitable for neutral and professional registers, making it a versatile option for various writing needs.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

four times less

This alternative wording is syntactically valid but slightly less common than "four times lower".

decreased fourfold

This uses a single word to convey the four-time reduction, which may be more concise but less common.

a quarter as much

This signifies that the value has been divided into four parts and only one part remains.

a quarter of the amount

This phrase specifies the resulting quantity rather than the factor of reduction.

divided by four

This highlights the mathematical operation leading to the reduced quantity.

one-fourth the size

This represents the quantity as a fraction of the original, changing the structural presentation.

reduced by 75 percent

This focuses on the percentage decrease, offering a different perspective on the proportional change.

25% of the original value

This expresses the remaining value after the reduction as a percentage.

significantly diminished

This conveys a substantial reduction without specifying the exact factor.

considerably lessened

This emphasizes a noticeable decrease, but without quantifiable precision.

FAQs

How do I use "four times lower" in a sentence?

Use "four times lower" to compare two quantities where one is a quarter of the other. For example, "The defect rate in the new system is "four times lower" than in the old system".

What's a good alternative to saying "four times lower"?

Alternatives include phrases like "a quarter of the amount", "reduced by 75 percent", or "decreased fourfold", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is it correct to say "four times less" instead of "four times lower"?

While "four times less" is sometimes used, "four times lower" is generally clearer and more widely accepted in formal writing. Both mean that a value is reduced to one-fourth of its original amount.

What does "four times lower" imply about the difference between two values?

"Four times lower" means that one value is significantly smaller—specifically, that it is only 25% of the other value. It indicates a substantial reduction compared to the reference point.