over multiple decades

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "over multiple decades" is correct and can be used in written English.
You could use it to express a time span that encompasses several decades. For example: Increasingly efficient digital technology has changed the way we communicate over multiple decades.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

29 human-written examples

Despite efforts over multiple decades to identify and address barriers, recruitment challenges persist.

Contemporary Clinical Trials

The images in the collection document sites in Egypt and across the Islamic world over multiple decades.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Professor of French and Comparative Literature, renowned medieval scholar, and Associate Dean of the Graduate Division: these all, over multiple decades, have described Joseph J. Duggan.

University of California, Berkeley

Over multiple decades, I have been helping students through mentoring for Society of Women Engineers events, Expanding Your Horizon, Externship and FRESH programs, many mentoring programs for undergraduates and graduates, and the Cornell Scientista student organization.

Cornell University

We look at changes in attrition rates in the American National Election Studies from 1964 to 2004, a repeated panel survey with a two-wave pre-post election design implemented over multiple decades.

Social Science Research

Some years will be warmer and some years will be cooler than others, but as long as human-produced greenhouse gases continue to increase in the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels, the long-term global temperature trend averaged over multiple decades will be upward.

The Washington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

31 human-written examples

In the short-term, changes in the subpolar North Atlantic have the greatest impact on AMOC, the researchers found; but over the course of multiple decades, it was changes in the Arctic that became most important to AMOC, they said.

Yale University

I simply assumed that many artists have had multiple hits in multiple decades, won Oscars and Grammys and been cultural icons clad in Bob Mackie for over 40 years.

Huffington Post

Clinical experience suggests that many children become 'high-end' users of mental health and social services over multiple years, even decades.

BMC Psychiatry

He is quickly trying to adapt to the quirks of the New York political arena, which Clinton has had decades to master over multiple elections.

Los Angeles Times

In addition to these groups, observed by the author over the course of 9 years, other colleagues commented on further groups (personal communications in Table S3), which were found in Israel, Gabon, Italy, the Czech Republic, and Belgium, some of which had been observed over multiple generations for more than a decade.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing long-term trends or phenomena, use "over multiple decades" to convey a sense of gradual change or sustained impact. For example, "The effects of climate change have become increasingly evident over multiple decades."

Common error

Be specific when possible. While "over multiple decades" indicates a long period, providing context or specific years can add clarity and impact to your writing.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "over multiple decades" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying verbs or clauses to indicate the timeframe in which an action or event occurs. It specifies that something happens during a period spanning several decades, as shown in Ludwig examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

35%

Academia

30%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "over multiple decades" is a grammatically sound and versatile adverbial phrase used to indicate that something occurs across a period spanning several decades. Ludwig AI confirms that it is correct and usable in written English. It's most frequently found in News & Media, Science, and Academic contexts. While alternatives like "spanning several decades" or "for many decades" exist, "over multiple decades" provides a clear and widely understood way to express a long-term timeframe. When using it, remember to be as specific as possible to enhance clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

spanning several decades

This alternative emphasizes the duration covered by the period.

across numerous decades

This option highlights the large quantity of decades involved.

for many decades

This is a simpler and more direct way of expressing a similar timeframe.

over the course of decades

This variant emphasizes the progression of time.

throughout several decades

This option stresses the continuity across the period.

lasting many decades

This choice focuses on the endurance or persistence over the timeframe.

covering multiple decades

This alternative highlights the scope of time involved.

extending across decades

This phrases implies a spread or reach across a considerable period.

through decades

A shortened version maintaining the timeframe but losing precision.

in the decades

Simplifies the phrase, focusing on the general period without a specific start.

FAQs

How can I use "over multiple decades" in a sentence?

Use "over multiple decades" to describe processes, trends, or changes that occur across several decades. For example, "Technological advancements have transformed communication /s/over+multiple+decades".

What's a good alternative to "over multiple decades"?

Alternatives include "spanning several decades", "across numerous decades", or "for many decades" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it more appropriate to use "over multiple decades" or "over several decades"?

Both "over multiple decades" and "over several decades" are correct and largely interchangeable. The choice depends on personal preference or the specific context. "Multiple" may suggest a slightly larger or less defined number than "several".

Can I use "in multiple decades" instead of "over multiple decades"?

While grammatically sound, "in multiple decades" is less common than "over multiple decades". "Over multiple decades" emphasizes the duration and progression of time, while "in multiple decades" may refer to events occurring within distinct decades.