it lessened by

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it lessened by" is not correct in standard written English.
It is typically used to describe a reduction in something, but the construction is awkward and unclear. Example: "The pain lessened by the medication."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Still, he adds, there's progress: "Every month or so it lessens by 1% or 2%." About half of the company is connected to Arteaga.

Forbes

This is called the implosive theory, confronting the fear until it is lessened by familiarity.

The New York Times

But if he felt any ambivalence about accepting the Pomona job, it was lessened by the knowledge that Wallace had gone before him.

The New Yorker

Calvin Coolidge in the Indian headdress comes close, but the purity of it is lessened by Coolidge's look of amiable knowledge of how stupid he looks.

Huffington Post

But as he notes, "the politics of it are lessened by the fact that what she's doing is going to a soccer field where two youth soccer groups were accidentally scheduled to have the soccer field at the same time and trying to come up with a solution".

Huffington Post

As reported [3], thymocytes of p73−/− mice displayed only slightly reduced levels of apoptosis compared to WT controls, but it was lessened by the deletion of p53 (Fig. 4G).

Plosone

The noninvestigated episode of fever upon return of the patient may have been the initial fever episode of TBRF, but it was lessened by the short course of ofloxacine (4 ).

Emerging Infectious Diseases

It is the belief that somehow one's cause is so noble that it cannot be lessened by wrong actions, absolving one of the need to self-reflect about their behavior.

Huffington Post

Walter Bobbie, the director of "Venus in Fur," said that he was pleased with Mr. Bentley's performance, and that it was not lessened by Ms. Arianda's star turn.

The New York Times

The condition (d) is also somewhat demanding and it can be lessened by the following: (d′):  for every z in the range of S, (D_{z}={xin K: (I-T x=z}) I-T x=z}vex set.

Fixed Point Theory and Applications

It was also lessened by the open windows.

Wikipedia

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Favor more common and grammatically sound alternatives like "it was reduced by" or "it decreased by" for clarity and precision.

Common error

Avoid using the phrase "it lessened by" as it is not standard English and can sound unnatural. Opt for more direct and widely accepted alternatives to ensure clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it lessened by" functions as part of a passive construction, indicating that something has been reduced or diminished by an action or factor. While examples exist, Ludwig AI suggests the construction is awkward and less preferred compared to alternatives.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

35%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "it lessened by" is used to express a reduction or decrease caused by something. However, Ludwig AI indicates that this phrasing is not ideal, suggesting it's grammatically awkward. While examples can be found in various contexts like news, science, and general writing, alternatives like "it was reduced by" or "it decreased by" offer better clarity and are more grammatically sound. Therefore, while understandable, it's advisable to use clearer and more common alternatives in formal writing to ensure effective communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

it was reduced by

Replaces "lessened" with the more common and grammatically sound "reduced".

it was decreased by

Similar to "reduced", offering a direct and clear substitute for "lessened".

it diminished by

Uses "diminished" to indicate a decrease, maintaining a formal tone.

it was alleviated by

Indicates that something was made less severe or intense.

it was mitigated by

Suggests that the negative effects were reduced.

it subsided due to

Implies a gradual decrease in intensity or effect.

it abated because of

A more formal way of saying something became less intense or widespread.

its impact was lessened by

Focuses on the impact being reduced, rather than the thing itself.

the effect was lessened by

Similar to the previous phrase, emphasizing the reduction of an effect.

it was tempered by

Suggests that something was moderated or restrained, resulting in a lessened effect.

FAQs

What are some alternatives to "it lessened by"?

You can use alternatives like "it was reduced by", "it was decreased by", or "it diminished by" depending on the context.

Is "it lessened by" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "it lessened by" is not considered standard English. It's better to use phrases like "it was reduced by" or "the effect was lessened by" for improved clarity and grammatical correctness.

How can I improve the sentence "it lessened by"?

Rephrase the sentence to use a more common construction. For example, instead of "it lessened by", try "it was alleviated by" or "it was mitigated by" to convey the intended meaning more effectively.

What's the difference between "it lessened by" and "it was lessened by"?

While both phrases aim to convey a reduction, "it was lessened by" is slightly better because the auxiliary verb provides a clearer grammatical structure in passive voice. Still, other alternatives such as "it was reduced by" might be preferable.