lessening the gap

USAGE SUMMARY

"lessening the gap" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that something is reducing or minimizing the difference between two different things, or even bridging the divide between them. For example: "Continuing to invest in education and provide free resources to those in need of assistance will help in lessening the gap between access to education for those of low socio-economic backgrounds and those of higher socio-economic backgrounds."

✓ Grammatically correct

Wikipedia

Encyclopedia Britannica

The Guardian

BBC

TechCrunch

Construction and Building Materials

Huffington Post

Vice

Global health, science and practice

BMC Health Services Research

WikiHow

Independent

The New York Times

Physica E: Low-dimensional Systems and Nanostructures

BMC Evolutionary Biology

The New York Times - Tech

BMJ Open

Journal of Environmental Management

The Guardian - Opinion

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

A cornerstone of Bo's Chongqing model was a series of egalitarian social policies aimed at lessening the gap between rich and poor and easing the rural-urban divide.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

There was also a conviction that economic planning was needed to lessen the gap between the rich and poor countries.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"Without some way to lessen the gap between the end of the [air warfare destroyer] program and the start of the building of the future frigate, the industrial base will have to ramp up its workforce from an almost negligible level to 2,700 skilled personnel in approximately eight years".

The Guardian

"The challenge is to lessen the gap between the good and the ordinary stuff.

BBC

But transitioning more fans to paid subscription services could lessen the gap.

TechCrunch

The objective of the present study is to attain better understanding of the curing mechanism of FBMs and lessen the gap between laboratory curing and field evolution of these mixtures.

Construction and Building Materials

Often this money will help lessen the gap and make attending the more expensive colleges more possible.

Huffington Post

Individual experience aside, Kondo was convinced that game sound could lessen the gap between Mario and the hands that move him.

Vice

Because most Americans trust him, Bernie Sanders is now only 7 points behind Clinton nationally, and his stunning upset victory in Michigan will lessen the gap in future polls.

Huffington Post

A cornerstone of Bo's Chongqing model involved a series of egalitarian social policies aimed to lessen the gap between rich and poor, and ease the rural-urban divide.

Wikipedia

Sanders is determined (and uses the Bible to back him up) to lessen the gap between the richest and poorest in our country, because, as he said in his speech at Liberty University, "There is no justice...when the top one-tenth of 1 percent...owns almost as much wealth as the bottom 90percentt".

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "lessening the gap", ensure that the context clearly defines the two entities between which the gap is being reduced. This adds precision and clarity to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "lessening the gap" without specifying what is being lessened. For instance, instead of saying 'Efforts are being made to lessen the gap', specify 'Efforts are being made to lessen the gap between rich and poor'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "lessening the gap" functions as a gerund phrase, often acting as a noun within a sentence. It describes the action of reducing a difference or disparity. As evidenced by Ludwig, it typically appears as the subject or object of a verb, indicating the process of diminishing an existing separation.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

24%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

12%

Encyclopedias

7%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "lessening the gap" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase that describes the act of reducing a difference or disparity. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability in diverse writing contexts. Predominantly found in News & Media and scientific sources, its purpose is to convey initiatives aimed at bridging differences across economic, social, or technological domains. For best use, specify the entities between which the gap is being lessened to enhance clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reducing the disparity

Focuses on the inequality, suggesting a reduction in the imbalance.

narrowing the divide

Emphasizes bringing two distinct entities or groups closer together.

bridging the divide

Implies creating a connection over an existing separation.

closing the distance

Highlights minimizing the space or difference between two points or ideas.

mitigating the difference

Focuses on making the contrast or dissimilarity less severe.

alleviating the inequality

Targets reducing the severity of unfairness or disparity.

diminishing the contrast

Implies reducing the obviousness or strength of the difference.

shrinking the gulf

Uses 'gulf' to emphasize a large separation being reduced.

ameliorating the imbalance

Focuses on improving a state of disequilibrium or unfairness.

rectifying the inequity

Implies correcting or setting right an unfair situation.

FAQs

How can I use "lessening the gap" in a sentence?

You can use "lessening the gap" to describe actions or policies that reduce differences. For example, "The new policy aims at "lessening the gap" between urban and rural healthcare access".

What are some alternatives to "lessening the gap"?

Alternatives include "reducing the disparity", "narrowing the divide", or "bridging the divide", depending on the specific context.

Is "lessening the gap" formal or informal?

"Lessening the gap" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and sentence structure.

What's the difference between "lessening the gap" and "reducing the gap"?

While both are similar, "reducing the gap" might imply a more direct or measurable decrease, whereas "lessening the gap" can suggest a more gradual or nuanced reduction. They are often interchangeable, but context matters.