low the wages

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "low the wages" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be an attempt to express a reduction in wages, but the correct phrasing would be "lower the wages." Example: "The company decided to lower the wages of its employees due to budget constraints."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

It is a shock for many to see how low the wages are in poor countries".

Huffington Post

By comparison, the economic incentives for police officers attempting to prevent terrorist attacks are low: the wages for an entire career represent only a fraction of what successful terrorists might earn in a single trade.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The additional costs associated with the low wages, the union adds, add to the taxpayer burden.

The New York Times

The low wages the company pays its workers also reflect the economic environment.

The New York Times

They used the cash to pay the low wages to the workers, prosecutors said.

The New York Times

The groups claimed that they were entitled to pay the low wages because the homeless people were trainees, not employees.

The New York Times

"Listen carefully because the subtext is low wages, low wages, low wages".

Huffington Post

She cited traffic problems and parking concerns, along with the low wages, as the project's biggest problems.

The New York Times

One way or another, the low wages of the fast-food workforce are costing you money.

Huffington Post

These doctors have left Romania because of the low wages and the excessive corruption in health care [ 21].

Human Resources for Health

Lottie Harris, executive director of the Child Care Council, said centers serving the lowest income families pay the lowest wages.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When intending to describe a decrease in wages, use the correct verb form "lower" or other alternatives like "reduce", "cut", or "decrease" for grammatical accuracy.

Common error

Avoid using "low" as a verb when discussing wages. "Low" is typically an adjective. Instead, use verbs like "lower", "reduce", or "decrease" to accurately describe the action of reducing wages.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "low the wages" attempts to function as a verb phrase, aiming to describe the action of reducing wages. However, "low" is an adjective, not a verb, making the phrase grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, it doesn't follow standard grammar rules.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "low the wages" is grammatically incorrect, as noted by Ludwig AI. The correct way to express the act of reducing wages is to use verbs like "lower", "reduce", or "decrease". Although the phrase appears in contexts related to news, media, and science, its incorrect grammar limits its usability in formal settings. Alternative phrases like "reduce wages" or "lower wages" are recommended for accurate and clear communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

lower wages

Uses the correct verb form "lower" to indicate the action of decreasing wages.

reduce wages

Replaces "low" with a more grammatically standard verb, "reduce", to indicate a decrease in wages.

decrease wages

Employs "decrease" as a direct synonym for reducing the amount of wages paid.

cut wages

Uses "cut" as a more concise and direct way of saying wages were lowered.

reduce compensation

Replaces "wages" with the broader term "compensation" to encompass all forms of payment.

depress wages

Focuses on the economic effect of keeping wages artificially low.

wage stagnation

Shifts the focus to the state of wages not increasing, implying they are remaining low.

poor compensation

Describes the result of low wages, indicating the compensation is inadequate.

meager earnings

Highlights the small amount of money earned due to low wages.

inadequate pay

Emphasizes that the pay is not sufficient or satisfactory.

FAQs

How to correctly express the idea of reducing wages?

Instead of the grammatically incorrect phrase "low the wages", use phrases like "lower the wages", "reduce the wages", or "cut the wages".

Is "low the wages" grammatically correct?

No, "low the wages" is not grammatically correct in standard English. The word "low" functions as an adjective, not a verb. To express the action of decreasing wages, use the verb "lower".

What are some alternatives to saying "low the wages"?

You can use alternative phrases such as "reduce wages", "decrease wages", or "cut wages" to express the same concept more accurately.

What is the difference between "low wages" and "lower wages"?

"Low wages" describes the state of wages being at a low level, whereas "lower wages" refers to the action of decreasing wages.