has increasingly declined

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "has increasingly declined" is not correct in standard English usage due to the redundancy of "increasingly" and "declined." You can use it when discussing a trend that shows a consistent decrease over time, but it would be better to rephrase it for clarity.
Example: "The company's profits have increasingly declined over the past three years."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The department, meanwhile, has increasingly declined to prosecute cases referred to it.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Recent population projections have indicated that the number of people in the state will actually drop from 1.37 billion today to 1.3 billion by 2050, while a declining workforce has increasingly struggled to support a growing number of pensioners.

Independent

This decline has increasingly been referred to as the retirement consumption puzzle.

SERIEs

Population growth has increasingly lagged behind the national average since 1950, however, reflecting the decline of industry.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The official declined to give specific examples of where such shifts might occur, but the United States in recent years has increasingly focused on counterterrorism and nonproliferation.

The New York Times

Rainfall in the area has increasingly become uncertain and the trend analysed using KMS data (40 years) period indicate a definite decline (Fig. 2).

Environmental Systems Research

Over the last several years, scientists have increasingly attributed pollinator declines to the indiscriminate use of systemic pesticides, most notably a class of insecticides known as neonicotinoids.

Huffington Post

With the consumption of beer in most developed countries either flat or declining, brewers have increasingly consolidated in an attempt to achieve synergies by selling several brands through a common distribution channel.

The New York Times

Moreover, as the catch from sea fishing has declined, Spanish producers have increasingly developed coastal fish farming as an alternative.

Encyclopedia Britannica

In the last decade, as the national interest in hunting has declined, gun manufacturers have increasingly relied on the sale of high-powered rifles, capable of killing many people in seconds.

Huffington Post

Europe is on the brink of a landmark ban on the world's most widely used insecticides, which have increasingly been linked to serious declines in bee numbers.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Opt for clearer alternatives like "has steadily decreased" or "has progressively fallen" to avoid redundancy and improve readability. These alternatives provide a more direct and concise description of a decreasing trend.

Common error

Do not use "increasingly" with "declined" as it creates redundancy. "Declined" already implies a decrease, so adding "increasingly" does not add value and can make the sentence awkward.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has increasingly declined" functions as a verb phrase indicating a trend of diminishing quantity or quality. However, Ludwig AI points out this particular phrasing is considered redundant due to the overlapping meanings of "increasingly" and "declined."

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Encyclopedias

17%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Formal & Business

8%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "has increasingly declined" aims to describe a decreasing trend, it's often considered redundant because "declined" inherently implies a decrease. As Ludwig AI highlights, clearer and more concise alternatives like "has steadily decreased" or "has progressively fallen" are generally preferred to enhance readability and avoid awkward phrasing. Although the expression is understandable and found in some sources, attention should be given to the nuance and potential ambiguity in order to not confuse the reader.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has steadily decreased

Emphasizes a consistent and continuous reduction over time, replacing "increasingly declined" with a more direct term.

has progressively fallen

Suggests a gradual decline, similar to "increasingly declined" but uses stronger verbs to convey the reduction.

has seen a growing decline

Highlights the escalating nature of the decline. Replaces "increasingly" with "growing".

has shown a marked decrease

Focuses on an observable and significant reduction, providing a more descriptive approach.

has been in steady decline

Indicates an ongoing state of diminishing, offering an alternative phrasing of the trend.

has consistently diminished

Stresses the regularity of the reduction, presenting a clearer indication of the trend.

has experienced a continual drop

Highlights the ongoing experience of reduction, emphasizing the continual nature.

has registered a progressive fall

Implies that each progressive point is lower compared to the last and highlights that these values or scores are recorded.

has been steadily dropping

Indicates an ongoing state of reduction. Uses weaker verbs to convey the reduction.

has sunken increasingly

Uses less common verbs to imply a downward movement or descent.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "has increasingly declined" for better clarity?

Consider using phrases like "has steadily decreased", "has progressively fallen", or "has shown a marked decrease" for a more direct and concise expression.

Is it grammatically correct to say "has increasingly declined"?

While understandable, the phrase "has increasingly declined" is often considered redundant. The word "declined" already implies a decreasing trend, so "increasingly" isn't necessary.

What is wrong with using "increasingly" with "declined"?

The word "increasingly" suggests something is happening more and more, while "declined" indicates a decrease. Using them together can create a redundant or awkward construction, as "declined" already implies a downward trend.

Are there situations where "has increasingly declined" is appropriate?

Although not ideal, you might use it when emphasizing the intensifying nature of a decline over time, but clearer alternatives usually exist. For example, "The rate of decline "has accelerated"" offers a more precise description.