halved

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "halved" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation in which something has been divided in half. For example, "The pizza was quickly halved among the hungry diners."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Lifestyle

Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The money spent on preparing the UK for the impacts of global warming has almost halved since the environment secretary, Owen Paterson –widely regarded as a climate change sceptic – took office.

The Guardian

German growth more than halved to 0.3% from 0.7% in the fourth quarter of 2014.

The Guardian - Business

Manufacturing has more than halved as a percentage of GDP, while "services" – that great amorphous sector ranging from Greggs to Goldman Sachs – is now far bigger than manufacturing ever was.

The Guardian - Opinion

Robert Snodgrass, with a shot from near the penalty spot, would have halved Norwich's arrears early in the second half but for a sprawling save from Michel Vorm.

The Guardian - Sport

Neeps and tattie salad: boil some chopped, peeled swede in salted water and after 10 minutes, add a handful of new potatoes, skin on but halved.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The chancellor started by reeling off reasons for a new economic plan – growth halved, borrowing up, and no more progress on the deficit until 2014 – and then offered up more of the same old failed economic policies.

The Guardian

Rose's response: "So now you can't even be bothered to roll out a bit of pastry?" Butter, for greasing 10-12 apricots, halved and stoned 1 tbsp caster sugar 2 egg yolks 2 whole eggs 75g caster sugar 1 tbsp potato flour 1 tbsp cognac 300ml whipping cream Icing sugar, to finish Heat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Lightly butter a baking dish, then neatly arrange the apricots cut side uppermost.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Less than one in 20 have manual labour backgrounds, a figure that has more than halved since the late 1980s.

The Guardian - Opinion

The study says the proportion of teenagers and young adults drinking on five or more days a week has more than halved since 2005.

The Guardian

Related: Greece back in recession; Bank of England cuts growth forecast - live updates German growth more than halved to 0.3% from 0.7% in the fourth quarter of 2014.

The Guardian - Business

The clue to the recipe is in the name... Shan McAnena, via GuardianWitness Serves 10-14 15 large marshmallows, halved 15 glace cherries, halved 15 digestive biscuits, roughly crushed 150ml condensed milk 75g desiccated coconut 1 Toss together the marshmallows, cherries and biscuits in a large bowl, then gradually add the condensed milk.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing changes in numerical data, use "halved" to clearly indicate a 50% reduction. For example, "The company's profits were "halved" due to the economic downturn."

Common error

Avoid using "halved" when you mean a small or insignificant reduction. "Halved" specifically means reduced by exactly 50%.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "halved" is that of a verb, specifically the past tense or past participle of the verb "halve". It describes the action of reducing something by 50% or dividing it into two equal parts. This aligns with Ludwig's assessment that the word is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Business

25%

Lifestyle

15%

Less common in

Science

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "halved" functions as a verb indicating a reduction by 50% or a division into two equal parts. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability across various contexts, especially in News & Media and Business. While maintaining a neutral register, it's important to use "halved" accurately to denote a precise reduction by half, avoiding its use for smaller decreases. Related phrases like "cut in half" or "reduced by 50 percent" can provide alternative ways to express the same concept. Overall, "halved" is a common and useful term for describing specific reductions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cut in half

Focuses on the action of cutting something into two equal portions.

reduced by 50 percent

Quantifies the reduction, specifying the exact percentage.

divided by two

Emphasizes the mathematical operation of division.

decreased by half

Highlights the reduction or decrease in quantity.

diminished by 50%

Similar to "reduced by 50 percent" but with a stronger emphasis on lessening.

brought down by half

Implies an active force causing the reduction.

scaled down by 50%

Indicates a proportional reduction.

split in two

Emphasizes the separation into two distinct parts.

bifurcated

A more formal and technical term for dividing into two.

sectioned into halves

Focuses on the creation of two sections of equal size.

FAQs

How do you use "halved" in a sentence?

The word "halved" is used to describe something that has been reduced by 50% or divided into two equal parts. For example, "The recipe calls for the tomatoes to be "halved" before adding them to the sauce."

What can I say instead of "halved"?

You can use alternatives like "cut in half", "reduced by 50 percent", or "divided by two" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "more than halved"?

Yes, "more than halved" indicates that something has been reduced by more than 50%. It implies a significant decrease greater than half the original amount.

What's the difference between "halved" and "doubled"?

"Halved" means reduced by half (divided by two), whereas "doubled" means increased to twice the original amount (multiplied by two). They represent opposite changes in quantity or value.