shrank by over

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "shrank by over" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing a reduction in size, amount, or value that exceeds a certain threshold. Example: "The company's profits shrank by over 20% last quarter, prompting a reevaluation of their business strategy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

In the three years to June 1932, the volume of world trade shrank by over a quarter.

The Economist

The economy shrank by over 13% last year and its banking system is in a mess; although Indonesia is following a recovery plan agreed with the IMF, things are hardly on auto pilot.And those are the problems if things go well.

The Economist

Libya's GDP shrank by over 60% in 2011, according to the country's central bank, as rebels and loyalists vied for control of the country's oilfields.In this section Dead money Taxing times Game over Marshmallows and markets Sonic booms Hold-outs upheld Log tale Land of the corporate giants ReprintsGDP is a measure of income, not wealth.

The Economist

Chicago itself shrank by over 1%.Special report A success story Brawn yields to brains Globocity No little plans Daley city The Mexican motor The limits of renewal Sources and acknowledgements ReprintsThe shrinkage in the towns would have been much greater, and the growth in the suburbs much smaller, but for one thing: immigration, nearly all of it by Latinos.

The Economist

The market value of Australia's dominant telecom provider shrank by over a fifth after it was excluded from the tender in early December on the grounds that its proposal failed to meet basic requirements to involve small- and medium-sized businesses in building the network.

Forbes

Research between 1950 and 1999 demonstrated that the glaciers in Bridger-Teton National Forest and Shoshone National Forest in the Wind River Range shrank by over a third of their size during that period.

Wikipedia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

Analysts, as well as ministers, are keenly awaiting the fourth quarter gross domestic product figures later this month to see if the economy did finally return to growth after six consecutive quarters of contraction which together saw the economy shrink by over 6%, its worst performance since the 1920s.

The Guardian - Business

The number of slaughter facilities also shrank by about 10% over the same period, according to the FSIS, even as meat and poultry production has doubled from 52 billion pounds to 104 billion pounds in 2007.

Environmental Health Perspectives

The number of newspaper readers under the age of 24 has shrunk by over a third since 1990, while those over 65 has fallen by only 6% (see chart).

The Economist

Reuters' market capitalisation has shrunk by over 75% in the past year.Inside storyImClone's former chief executive, Sam Waksal, pleaded guilty to insider-trading charges.

The Economist

Although its official defence budget is only 1% of its GDP and over the past decade has shrunk by over 3% in nominal terms, in real terms it has fallen by more like 1%.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "shrank by over", ensure that the context clearly indicates what is being reduced and the unit of measurement (e.g., "The budget shrank by over 10%").

Common error

Avoid using "shrank by over" without specifying the baseline or reference point. It's crucial to provide the original value or size to understand the significance of the reduction. For example, instead of saying "Sales shrank by over a million", state "Sales, which were previously at 5 million, shrank by over a million".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shrank by over" functions as a prepositional phrase used to modify a verb, indicating the extent of a reduction. As Ludwig AI highlights, it's used to specify that a decrease exceeded a particular value. The verb "shrank" indicates the action of becoming smaller, and "by over" specifies the degree of reduction.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

73%

Science

18%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "shrank by over" is a grammatically correct and usable expression to indicate that something has decreased by more than a specific amount. Ludwig AI confirms its appropriateness in written English. It is most commonly found in news and media contexts, with some usage in science and business. The phrase indicates that reduction surpassed a particular threshold. To ensure clarity, always specify the entity undergoing reduction and the measurement unit. While less frequent overall, its use is appropriate across various registers.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

decreased by more than

Replaces "shrank" with "decreased" and "over" with "more than", maintaining the core meaning of reduction beyond a certain point.

reduced by above

Substitutes "shrank" with "reduced" and "over" with "above", preserving the sense of a reduction exceeding a threshold.

diminished by greater than

Uses "diminished" instead of "shrank" and "greater than" in place of "over", offering a more formal tone while conveying the same idea.

contracted by in excess of

Employs "contracted" as a substitute for "shrank" and "in excess of" for "over", providing a slightly more technical or formal alternative.

declined by beyond

Replaces "shrank" with "declined" and "over" with "beyond", maintaining the concept of a reduction surpassing a given level.

lessened by exceeding

Uses "lessened" instead of "shrank" and "exceeding" for "over", slightly altering the tone to be more descriptive.

fallen by past

Substitutes "shrank" with "fallen" and "over" with "past", creating a more casual or informal alternative.

dropped by superior to

Employs "dropped" as a substitute for "shrank" and "superior to" for "over", resulting in a less common, but still understandable, alternative.

receded by upwards of

Replaces "shrank" with "receded" and "over" with "upwards of", providing a more evocative and slightly less precise alternative.

slipped by surpassing

Uses "slipped" instead of "shrank" and "surpassing" for "over", offering a less formal and more descriptive alternative.

FAQs

How do I use "shrank by over" in a sentence?

Use "shrank by over" to indicate that something has decreased in size or amount by more than a specific value. For example: "The company's profits "shrank by over" 20% this year".

What can I say instead of "shrank by over"?

You can use alternatives like "decreased by more than", "reduced by above", or "diminished by greater than" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "shrank by more than" instead of "shrank by over"?

Yes, "shrank by more than" is a perfectly acceptable and grammatically correct alternative to "shrank by over". The meaning is essentially the same.

What's the difference between "shrank by over" and "shrank by approximately"?

"Shrank by over" indicates a decrease exceeding a certain amount, while "shrank by approximately" implies an estimated decrease that is close to a specific value. The first implies a minimum threshold, the second is an estimate.