shrink by half

USAGE SUMMARY

"shrink by half" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you need to express a significant decrease in size, volume, or amount. For example, "The new guidelines will cause the budget to shrink by half."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

Staten Island, meanwhile, will shrink by half.

The New York Times

Dragonomics forecasts that in 2008 the contribution of net exports to China's growth will shrink by half.

The Economist

He calculates that profits from capital gains and income from stock options will probably shrink by half within the next two or three years.

The New York Times

Westdeutsche Landesbank, based in Düsseldorf and also known as WestLB, has already agreed to shrink by half and put itself up for sale in return for European Commission approval of a rescue plan bankrolled by the German government.

The New York Times

This causes the basin of attraction for equilibrium (i) to shrink by half.

SEP

And early results are upbeat:In an ongoing midstage trial of 100 breast cancer patients who failed to respond to traditional Taxol therapy, 6 of the first 28 patients reporting have seen their tumors shrink by half.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Syria's economy has shrunk by half.

The New York Times

In that time conventional government printing has shrunk by half.

Independent

Tumors shrank by half in 13 of those patients.

The New York Times

That number has shrunk by half, officials said.

The New York Times

To save money, that army has since shrunk by half, to about 70,000 personnel.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "shrink by half" when you want to emphasize a significant and noticeable reduction in size, quantity, or value. It's particularly effective when describing a dramatic change.

Common error

Avoid using "shrink by half" when the reduction is slight or insignificant. This phrase implies a substantial decrease, so ensure the context warrants such a strong expression.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shrink by half" primarily functions as a verb phrase indicating a proportional decrease. It's often used to describe a dramatic reduction in size, quantity, or value, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

62%

Science

25%

Wiki

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "shrink by half" is a grammatically correct and usable expression, as affirmed by Ludwig. It effectively conveys a significant reduction, specifically a 50% decrease, and is commonly found in News & Media and Scientific contexts. While its usage isn't extremely frequent, it's a powerful way to highlight a substantial change. Keep in mind that the phrase is best used when the reduction is truly significant, as misusing it for slight reductions would be an overstatement. Be mindful of the correct tense ('shrink' vs 'shrank') and that alternatives exist like 'cut by half' or 'reduce by 50 percent' that might better fit a specific situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

cut by half

Similar in meaning but implies a more abrupt or intentional reduction.

reduce by 50 percent

A more precise and quantitative way of expressing the same concept.

decrease by half

A more general term for becoming smaller or less.

decreases by half

Similar to "decrease by half", but indicates a more gradual process.

drop by half

Implies a sudden and significant decrease.

lower by half

Indicates a reduction in level, amount, or intensity.

reduction by half

Focuses on the act of reducing, emphasizing the change itself.

diminish by half

Suggests a gradual decrease in importance or size.

scale down by 50%

Suggests a proportional reduction, often used in technical contexts.

halve

A concise synonym, directly meaning to reduce to half.

FAQs

How to use "shrink by half" in a sentence?

You can use "shrink by half" to describe a significant reduction in size, quantity, or value, such as "The company's profits are expected to "shrink by half" due to the economic downturn."

What can I say instead of "shrink by half"?

You can use alternatives like "cut by half", "decrease by half", or "reduce by 50 percent" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "shrink by half" or "shrank by half"?

"Shrink by half" is the infinitive form, while "shrank by half" is the past tense. Use "shrank" when describing a past event, such as "The island's size "shrank by half" after the volcanic eruption."

What's the difference between "shrink by half" and "reduce slightly"?

"Shrink by half" indicates a very significant reduction—50%—whereas "reduce slightly" implies a minimal reduction. The appropriate phrase depends on the magnitude of the change you're describing.