simplify to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "simplify to" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when instructing someone to reduce something to a simpler form or expression, often in mathematical or analytical contexts. Example: "To solve the equation, we can simplify to x = 5."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Working to simplify, to try to get down to that first principle, is really important.

The New York Times

Films, with their desperate need to be marketed properly, tend to simplify to sell.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

But if Mr. Herheim feels the need to simplify to become intelligible or acceptable at the Royal, he's mistaken.

The New York Times - Arts

It loves to simplify, to assume WYSIATI ("what you see is all there is"), even as it gossips and embroiders and confabulates.

The Guardian - Books

Loek Van Wely, of the Netherlands, had a winning advantage, but he allowed Teimour Radjabov, of Azerbaijan, to simplify to an endgame of king, rook and pawn vs. king, bishop and pawn.

The New York Times

"Designers are feeling pressure to simplify, to idealize — to create some sort of fashion manifesto in response to a failing economy," said Andrew Bolton, a curator at the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

The New York Times

You have to be able to simplify, to lose some of the detail that technically makes your piece less correct, if you're to achieve the bigger goal of communicating something that is right enough to a broad audience.

The Guardian

The first teaches the name and sound of each instrument, including a short text history (which you'll probably need to read out loud and simplify to suit the age of your children).

The New York Times - Tech

Instead of imitating the shape of a component or an entire foreign car, they try to match its performance as well — often successfully — even as they improvise and simplify to cut costs.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

2 human-written examples

In our drive to understand the world we are tempted to over-simplify, to see less than what is there, and to fail to appreciate the complexity of what is there.

Huffington Post

Our brains are designed to simplify -- to reduce the tumult of the world into order.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "simplify to", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being simplified and to what simpler form it is being reduced. Clarity is crucial for effective communication.

Common error

Avoid using "simplify to" when the simplification sacrifices crucial details or accuracy. Ensure the resulting form, while simpler, still adequately represents the original concept.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "simplify to" functions as a verb phrase, indicating an action performed on a subject to make it less complex. As Ludwig confirms, it is grammatically sound and usable. Examples show its application across diverse contexts, primarily in technical and analytical discussions.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

56%

News & Media

35%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "simplify to" is grammatically correct and used to indicate the act of reducing complexity. Ludwig AI identifies its usage as primarily neutral to formal, often found in scientific, news, and general contexts. While it may not be highly frequent, understanding its proper usage helps ensure clarity and precision in communication. Remember to avoid oversimplification that sacrifices critical details.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reduce to

Indicates a reduction in complexity or size, often implying a more basic form.

condense to

Suggests a more compact or concentrated form, emphasizing brevity.

boil down to

Implies extracting the essential elements, often from a longer explanation or argument.

distill to

Similar to "boil down to", but suggests a more refined or purified result.

resolve to

Indicates a simplification through problem-solving or analysis.

narrow down to

Suggests reducing a range of options or possibilities to a smaller, more manageable set.

abstract to

Focuses on extracting the essential features, disregarding unnecessary details.

streamline to

Implies making more efficient or direct, removing unnecessary steps or elements.

pare down to

Suggests reducing something by cutting away unnecessary parts.

downsize to

Implies reducing in size or scale.

FAQs

How can I use "simplify to" in a sentence?

You can use "simplify to" to describe the process of reducing something complex into a more basic or manageable form. For example, "We can "reduce to" a simpler equation to solve the problem."

What's the difference between "simplify to" and "reduce to"?

Both "simplify to" and "reduce to" imply making something less complex. "Simplify to" often suggests making something easier to understand, while "reduce to" might focus more on minimizing the size or scope.

Which is correct, "simplify to" or "simplified into"?

"Simplify to" is used when the result is a more basic form. "Simplified into" is appropriate when the result involves a transformation into a different format.

What can I say instead of "simplify to"?

You can use alternatives like "boil down to", "condense to", or "distill to" depending on the context.