shrank to under

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "shrank to under" is not correct and does not convey a clear meaning in written English.
It may be intended to describe something that has decreased in size or amount to a level below a certain point, but the phrasing is awkward. Example: "The population shrank to under a thousand residents after the economic downturn."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

By 2008, that number had shrunk to under 30 percent.

The New York Times

Zamperini, who had weighed over 11 stone, had shrunk to under six.

Independent

In recent decades it has shrunk to under a million, or less than 3percentt of Iraq's 24 million people.

The New York Times

Meanwhile, GM's North American workforce has shrunk to under 120,000, Eastman Kodak has 3,200 U.S. employees, and Westinghouse has effectively evaporated.

Harvard Business Review

The United Nations refugee agency said yesterday it believed the Serb population of Kosovo's capital, Pristina, had shrunk to under 2,000 from an estimated 40,000 a few months ago.

The Guardian

Despite hunger strikes, marches and mine occupations by the highly organised and militant miners' federation, the number at work has inexorably shrunk to under 2,000, as one mine after another has closed.Today, even the mines that have survived are operating at maybe half their potential, and the giant Vinto smelting plant at a third.

The Economist

The venerable news service has shrunk to under 250 employees in fewer than a dozen offices.

Forbes

It's a demand-driven commodity, where the reserve margin on the supply side has shrunk to under 2 million barrels per day.

Forbes

It managed $7.2 billion at its peak but then shrunk to under $1 billion after the 2008 financial crisis — not unlike many other hedge funds, which also suffered losses or faced redemptions during the downturn.

TechCrunch

Figure 5 shows that posterior means of sire effects from BN model shrank to a greater extent under the BS t model.

Genetics, Selection, Evolution

Jenny Galligan, whose husband, a former Central Falls police chief, died last year, said that she was living on his pension of about $24,000 a year and that it would shrink to about $16,000 under the plan.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "shrank to under" in formal writing. Opt for clearer alternatives like "decreased to below" or "reduced to less than".

Common error

Using "shrank to under" can sound unnatural. Revise your sentence to use more direct and common phrasing like "decreased to below" or "reduced to under".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shrank to under" functions as a descriptive element indicating a reduction below a specific threshold. However, according to Ludwig AI, this phrasing is grammatically awkward. Replacing "shrank to under" with alternatives can enhance sentence clarity.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

0%

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

News & Media

0%

Science

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "shrank to under" might appear in various sources, it's considered grammatically awkward and lacks clarity. Ludwig AI suggests that it's not a correct expression. More appropriate alternatives such as "decreased to below", "reduced to less than", or "fell to below" are recommended for better writing. It's advisable to avoid "shrank to under" in formal contexts to maintain precision and professionalism.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

decreased to below

Replaces "shrank" with "decreased" and "under" with "below" for improved clarity.

reduced to less than

Uses "reduced" instead of "shrank" and "less than" for "under" to emphasize a quantity falling below a certain point.

fell to below

Substitutes "shrank" with "fell", indicating a drop in value or quantity.

declined to below

Replaces "shrank" with "declined" for a more formal tone, suitable for describing statistical data or trends.

diminished to under

Replaces "shrank" with "diminished" to indicate a reduction in size or importance.

contracted to under

Uses "contracted" instead of "shrank" to convey a reduction in size or scope, particularly in a business or economic context.

dropped to under

Substitutes "shrank" with "dropped" to indicate a sudden decrease.

lessened to below

Uses "lessened" instead of "shrank" to indicate a reduction in amount or intensity.

dwindled to under

Replaces "shrank" with "dwindled" suggesting a gradual reduction to a low level.

tapered off to under

Uses "tapered off" instead of "shrank" to imply a gradual decrease.

FAQs

What is a better way to say "shrank to under"?

More appropriate alternatives include "decreased to below", "reduced to less than", or "fell to below".

Is "shrank to under" grammatically correct?

While understandable, "shrank to under" is considered grammatically awkward. It's better to use more standard phrasing such as "declined to below".

When is it appropriate to use "shrank to under"?

It's generally best to avoid "shrank to under" in formal writing. However, it might be acceptable in very informal contexts where clarity isn't critical. Use alternatives like "diminished to under".

What's the difference between "shrank to under" and "decreased to below"?

"Decreased to below" is a more grammatically sound and widely accepted way to express that something has reduced to a level below a certain point. "Shrank to under" can sound awkward, therefore is preferable to use "decreased to below".