holds constant

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "holds constant" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in scientific or mathematical contexts to indicate that a variable remains unchanged while other variables may vary. Example: "In this experiment, we will analyze the effect of temperature on reaction rates while holding constant the pressure."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

19 human-written examples

"Both of them achieved their best scores ever and improved at around the same rate, so the gap from last year pretty much holds constant," Mr. Sargent said.

The New York Times

If the rate of change holds constant, it will take until 2045 for women to reach parity in the developing world, which the study by Unifem, as the development fund is known, defined as holding between 40percent and 600 percent of elected parliamentary seats.

The New York Times

If the rate of change holds constant, it will take until 2045 for women to reach parity in the developing world, which the study by Unifem, as the development fund is known, defined as holding 40percenttoto 60percentt of elected parliamentary seats.

The New York Times

And, the signal energy holds constant according to the Parseval theorem [30].

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

That is US evidence and holds constant the severity of the physical condition.

IZA Journal of Labor Policy

Fixed effects regression holds constant (fixes) the average effects of each school.

Large-scale Assessments in Education

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

41 human-written examples

Our compiler is practical since it only needs four more additional rounds of communications, which means that the new protocol still holds constant-round property if the original one is a constant-round scheme.

Information Processing Letters

It isn't; enrollment has held constant.

The New Yorker

Physicality was held constant.

Personality and Individual Differences

All other subject characteristics were held constant.

Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment

Course material was held constant across semesters.

Computers & Education

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "holds constant" in scientific writing, ensure that you clearly specify which variables are being held constant and why. This adds clarity and rigor to your methodology.

Common error

Avoid using "holds constant" in contexts where a more general term like "remains the same" would suffice. "Holds constant" is most appropriate when describing experimental controls or mathematical constraints, not everyday situations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "holds constant" functions primarily as a verb phrase, often used in scientific and technical contexts to describe the act of maintaining a specific variable or condition at a fixed level. As Ludwig AI confirms, this usage is grammatically sound.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

70%

News & Media

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "holds constant" is a grammatically correct and usable expression, as confirmed by Ludwig AI, primarily employed in scientific and technical writing. It signifies maintaining a variable at a fixed level to control experimental conditions or isolate effects. While not exceedingly common, its use is precise and appropriate in contexts where controlled stability is essential. Alternatives include "remains constant" and "is kept constant". The phrase's formal register and specific usage suggest careful consideration of context to avoid misapplication. Thus, clarity and precision are key when incorporating "holds constant" into your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

remains constant

This alternative directly replaces "holds" with "remains", emphasizing the continuation of a constant state.

stays constant

Similar to "remains constant", this phrase uses "stays" to indicate that something continues to be unchanged.

is held steady

Combines the sense of holding with the idea of steadiness, implying a controlled constancy.

is kept constant

This version uses a passive construction, emphasizing the action of maintaining constancy.

is maintained constant

This option emphasizes the active effort to keep something unchanged.

is fixed

This suggests a more absolute level of constancy, implying that the value is specifically set.

remains unchanged

This emphasizes the lack of change rather than the maintenance of a constant state.

is controlled

This focuses on the active process of controlling a variable to keep it steady.

is stabilized

Implies bringing something to a constant state and maintaining it there.

remains stable

Focuses on the stability aspect of keeping something constant without necessarily implying an exact value.

FAQs

How can I use "holds constant" in a sentence?

The phrase "holds constant" is typically used to describe a situation where a particular factor is kept unchanged in order to isolate the effects of other factors. For example: "In this experiment, the temperature was "held constant" while the pressure was varied."

What's a good alternative to "holds constant"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "remains constant", "stays constant", or "is kept constant".

In what kind of writing is "holds constant" most appropriate?

The phrase "holds constant" is most commonly found in scientific and technical writing, where precise control of variables is essential. It's less common in general or informal contexts.

Is "held constant" grammatically correct?

Yes, "held constant" is the past participle form of the verb phrase and is often used in passive constructions. For example: "The humidity was "held constant" throughout the experiment."