smallest increase of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "smallest increase of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing minimal changes or increments in various contexts, such as mathematics, economics, or statistics. Example: "The smallest increase of 0.1% in the interest rate can significantly impact borrowers."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

The Pentagon budget was set at $290 billion, for the smallest increase of the Reagan Administration.

The New York Times

Among tested catalysts, 12 wt% Co/MgO catalyst was found to exhibit the best catalytic performance (carbon-base total tar conv. 16%) with the smallest increase of water-insoluble components.

Chemical Engineering Science

Wales reported the smallest increase, of 2%, followed by the north-east of England, where prices rose by 2.7% over the year.

BBC

Customers in the North of England and central Scotland would see the smallest increase, of 7%, in their dual fuel price.

BBC

To identify the least promising feature, our BW algorithm investigates each feature still being a part of the set and removes the one that provides the largest reduction (or smallest increase) of the criterion in (B.5).

EURASIP Journal on Audio, Speech, and Music Processing

In the current iteration, we modify the bit allocation from the previous iteration by adding 2 bits (because we restrict our attention to square QAM constellations, representing an even number of bits) to the subcarrier which leads to the smallest increase of (sum _{kin {mathcal {N}}}mathrm {E}_{mathbf {H}}left [Omega _{k}(m_{k},E_{k})|mathbf {CSI}right ]).

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

Trauma surgery and surgical oncology had the smallest increases of 8%and9%9%, respectively.

Stanford University

And if you thought just a little meat now and then isn't so bad, the review found that the steepest rise in mortality occurred at the smallest increases of red-meat intake.

Vice

On March 22 Johnson approved only a small increase of troops.

Encyclopedia Britannica

A smaller increase of $1.5 billion a year was also insufficient, the panel concluded.

The New York Times - Science

During 2009, Mr. Jaimes said, there was a small increase of 2 to 3 percent in values.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing different scenarios or options, use "smallest increase of" to clearly indicate which one exhibits the least amount of growth or change.

Common error

Avoid using "small increase of" when you specifically need to emphasize that it is the least among multiple increases. "Small increase of" simply indicates a minor rise, whereas "smallest increase of" implies a comparison and selection of the minimum.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "smallest increase of" functions as a noun phrase, often acting as the subject or object of a sentence. It signifies the minimum amount of growth or change, used to compare and contrast different scenarios. As Ludwig indicates, this phrase is grammatically correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

32%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Formal & Business

7%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "smallest increase of" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase to describe the minimum amount of growth or change, particularly in comparative contexts. As Ludwig confirms, it’s suitable for formal, scientific, and neutral registers. The phrase is often employed in science, news, and academic settings. When using "smallest increase of", ensure you are comparing multiple increases, and aim to emphasize the minimal nature of the increase in that context. Avoid using "small increase of" when you intend to convey the notion of the absolute least amount of increase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

minimal growth of

Emphasizes the limited extent of growth.

least amount of increase in

Focuses on the quantity of the increase, specifying it as the lowest.

tiniest rise of

Uses "tiniest" to highlight the extremely small nature of the increase.

negligible increment in

Suggests the increase is so small it's almost not worth considering.

marginal uptick in

Implies a slight and barely perceptible positive change.

slightest addition to

Highlights the very small quantity that has been added.

lowest degree of increase in

Focuses on ranking the increase against others, being the least.

bottom level of growth in

Indicates the growth rate is at its lowest possible.

insignificant expansion of

Suggests the expansion is too small to have any real impact.

smallest addition of

Similar to "slightest addition", but emphasizes the act of adding a small quantity.

FAQs

How can I use "smallest increase of" in a sentence?

You can use "smallest increase of" to highlight the minimum growth or change among several options. For example, "This strategy resulted in the "smallest increase of" costs compared to the others".

What's the difference between "smallest increase of" and "minimal increase of"?

"Smallest increase of" implies a comparison among multiple increases, identifying the least. "Minimal increase of" simply indicates that the increase is very small, without necessarily being the absolute least among several options.

Is it correct to say "the less increase of" instead of "smallest increase of"?

No, "the less increase of" is grammatically incorrect. You should use ""smallest increase of"" to indicate the least amount of increase among several options.

What are some alternatives to "smallest increase of"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "minimal growth of", "tiniest rise of", or "negligible increment in" to convey the idea of minimal change.