reduce greatly

USAGE SUMMARY

"reduce greatly" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when discussing significant decreases in quantity, size, or intensity. For example: "The new policy aims to reduce greatly the amount of waste produced." Alternative expressions include "significantly reduce" and "substantially decrease."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

And if Iran had a string of such plants, it would be able to fuel a small arsenal quickly enough to reduce greatly the chance of getting caught.

The New York Times

Any appeals would go to the Court of First Instance.These and other changes would reduce greatly the routine workload of the Court of Justice.

The Economist

Was it rational to accept a small probability of an almost immediate death to reduce greatly a large probability of death by smallpox in the indefinite future?

Encyclopedia Britannica

These use pulleys and levers to reduce greatly the force needed to hold a bow at full draw, making it possible to aim without a lot of agonised wobbling.

The Economist

A genetically modified form of rice containing beta-carotene, a precursor of vitamin A, has the potential to reduce greatly the incidence of vitamin A deficiency, but the use of this so-called golden rice is controversial.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Thirdly, this paper presents an LMI-based approach to reduce greatly the computational complexity in the controller design.

Automatica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

37 human-written examples

Taxes on improvements could then be reduced greatly.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Courtroom capacity has reduced greatly, and more work will have to be pushed through the remaining courts.

The Guardian

Nuclear weapons cannot be disinvented, though they can be reduced greatly in number, as Mr Bush himself proposes.

The Economist

The amount of counterparty risk in the system will be reduced greatly by central clearing-houses for credit-default swaps.

The Economist

Thus, the number of unknowns is reduced greatly.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In scientific writing, this phrase is particularly effective when followed by a prepositional phrase, such as "reduce greatly the probability of...", to maintain clarity in complex sentences.

Common error

Writers sometimes place "reduce greatly" in a way that separates the verb from a very short object, which can feel disjointed. If the object is a single noun, consider using "greatly reduce" instead. For example, "greatly reduce costs" often flows better than "reduce greatly costs".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "reduce greatly" functions as a transitive or intransitive verb phrase modified by an intensive adverb. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it often serves to quantify the magnitude of a change within a technical or formal argument. The adverb greatly acts as a booster, heightening the impact of the verb reduce.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

55%

News & Media

25%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Business

3%

Social Media

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "reduce greatly" is a versatile and correct English phrase that is especially prevalent in formal and scientific writing. Ludwig AI highlights its utility in describing significant impacts, whether in international relations (e.g., nuclear arsenals) or engineering (e.g., computational complexity). While the alternative word order "greatly reduce" is more frequent in general usage, "reduce greatly" remains a high-quality choice when you want to place rhetorical weight on the magnitude of the reduction. It is a reliable, professional expression backed by top-tier sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

significantly reduce

Uses a more standard adverb for academic and professional reporting

reduce considerably

Offers a very close synonym with a slight shift in emphasis on volume

substantially decrease

Shifts to a slightly more formal verb and adverb pairing

markedly diminish

Emphasizes that the reduction is clearly visible or noticeable

reduce appreciably

Focuses on a change that is large enough to be measured

vastly lessen

Imparts a sense of immense scale to the reduction

sharply reduce

Suggests a sudden or steep decline rather than a general one

dramatically cut

Provides a more punchy, journalistic tone suitable for headlines

minimise greatly

Focuses on bringing something down to the smallest possible degree

curtail significantly

Implies the reduction is the result of a specific restriction or policy

FAQs

How do I use "reduce greatly" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a significant drop in quantity or intensity. For example: "The new filtration system will "reduce greatly" the amount of pollutants in the water".

What is the difference between "reduce greatly" and "greatly reduce"?

Both are correct, but "greatly reduce" is more common in modern English. Placing the adverb after the verb as in "reduce greatly" often sounds more formal or technical, as seen in many Ludwig examples from scientific journals.

Is "reduce greatly" too informal for academic writing?

No, it is highly appropriate for academic contexts. Ludwig data shows numerous instances in journals like Nature and ScienceDirect where it is used to describe data trends or experimental results.

Can I say "reduce significantly" instead?

Yes, "reduce significantly" is an excellent alternative that is often preferred in statistical or data-driven reports.