small decrease

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "small decrease" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it when describing a minor reduction in quantity, size, or intensity. For example, "There was a small decrease in sales this quarter." Alternative expressions include "slight reduction" and "minor drop."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Washington had a small decrease, falling to 232 homicides from 241 in 1999.

The New York Times

Analysts had expected a small decrease in initial claims.

The New York Times

Those risks outweighed the drugs' benefits -- a small decrease in hip fractures and a decrease in colorectal cancer.

The New York Times

That is a small decrease, but it suggests that inflation may have slowed or paused in August.

The New York Times

In 2007 there was an increase in the birthrate and a small decrease in the death rate.

The New York Times

Will Morris, the managing director of retail at SSE, defended the small decrease.

Independent

Will Morris, managing director, Retail at SSE, defended the small decrease compared to slumping wholesale prices.

Independent

Although nominally a small decrease, America's fast- growing population means it should be recording increases.

The Economist

"I always marvel at the fact that it is such a relatively small decrease in velocity that starts you on the descent".

The New York Times

President Bush's 1990 budget projects a small decrease.

Forbes

The new report attributes the small decrease in traditional web consumption to a decline in Facebook use.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "small decrease", ensure the context provides a point of reference. Quantify the decrease if possible to provide a clearer understanding of its magnitude. For instance, 'a small decrease of 2%' offers more clarity than simply 'a small decrease'.

Common error

Avoid using "small decrease" when the actual impact is significant. While the numerical change might be small, its implications could be substantial. Always consider the broader context before characterizing a decrease as 'small'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "small decrease" functions as a noun phrase, where "small" is an adjective modifying the noun "decrease". It typically acts as a subject, object, or complement within a sentence. Ludwig confirms its correct usage across a range of contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

51%

News & Media

47%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "small decrease" is a versatile and commonly used expression to describe a minor reduction. As confirmed by Ludwig, it's grammatically correct and suitable for various contexts, including science, news, and formal writing. While alternatives like "slight reduction" or "minor decline" exist, "small decrease" is a direct and clear way to convey a limited reduction. When using this phrase, remember to quantify the decrease when possible to provide clearer context, but avoid using it when the broader impact is more significant than the numerical change suggests.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slight reduction

Replaces "decrease" with "reduction", implying a minimal lessening.

minor decline

Substitutes "decrease" with "decline", suggesting a gentle downward trend.

modest reduction

Replaces "small" with "modest", suggesting a limited extent of decrease.

insignificant drop

Emphasizes the minimal impact of the decrease, using "insignificant" and "drop".

marginal decrease

Indicates that the decrease is at the margin, almost negligible.

tiny decline

Uses "tiny" to further emphasize the small size of the decline.

slight downturn

Replaces "decrease" with "downturn", implying a small change towards negative.

minimal reduction

Highlights that the reduction is the least possible.

negligible decrease

Points out that the decrease can be ignored because of the low impact.

a touch of decrement

Expresses a very mild and subtle form of decreasing using a fancy word.

FAQs

How can I use "small decrease" in a sentence?

You can use "small decrease" to describe a minor reduction in something. For example, "There was a "small decrease" in the number of applicants this year".

What are some alternatives to "small decrease"?

Alternatives include "slight reduction", "minor decline", or "modest reduction" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "slight decrease" or "small decrease"?

"Slight decrease" and "small decrease" are largely interchangeable, but "slight" may emphasize subtlety more than "small". Choose the word that best fits the tone and context of your writing.

What's the difference between "small decrease" and "insignificant decrease"?

"Small decrease" indicates a reduction that is limited in size, while "insignificant decrease" implies that the reduction has little to no practical impact. An "insignificant drop" might be numerically small, but the emphasis is on its unimportance.