sustained declining

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sustained declining" is not correct in standard English usage.
It seems to be a combination of two adjectives that do not work together properly. An example of a correct usage could be "sustained decline" or "declining trend."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

"This would pave the way for a more sustained declining trend in interest rates and eventual revival in investment and growth rates".

The New York Times

On Wednesday, when Tata Motors is set to announce its results for the financial year that ended in March, investors will be watching to see if the rejuvenated Jaguar Land Rover unit continues to prop up its parent, whose core Indian business has recently sustained declining earnings and revenue.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

In addition, in their efforts to sustain declining fish catches, people resort to extremely damaging fishing methods such as dynamite and poisons.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The study describes the life cycle of a geothermal field as passing through four distinct phases or periods: development, sustaining, declining, and renewable.

Geothermal Power Plants Principles, Applications, Case Studies and Environmental Impact

But it quickly began a long, sustained decline.

The New York Times

The sustained decline exceeded the six-month drop in the last recession, in 1990-91, he said.

The New York Times

Any sustained decline below that level would be a positive sign that the job market was improving.

The New York Times

For the first time in a generation, New York State has had sustained declines in out-of-wedlock births, state officials said yesterday.

The New York Times

Dr Peter Williams, chairman of Acadametrics, said: "The housing market stalled in May, although it remains unclear as to whether this is the start of a sustained decline.

The Guardian - Money

But the level of applications needs to fall below 375,000 to be seen as a sign of sustained declines in the unemployment rate.

The New York Times

Davie said it was "likely, not possible that we will be managing decline" in the years ahead with a "continued and sustained decline" in the average number of hours people who listen to the radio.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Prefer using standard and grammatically correct phrases like "sustained decline" or "declining trend" for clearer communication. This improves readability and avoids confusion.

Common error

Avoid combining "sustained" directly with "declining" as it results in an awkward construction. Instead, use "sustained decline" where "sustained" modifies the noun "decline" not the verb.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sustained declining" attempts to function as a descriptive element, aiming to characterize a trend or state. However, Ludwig AI indicates that it's grammatically incorrect. The intent is to describe something that is continuously decreasing over a period of time.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "sustained declining" appears in some sources, it is considered grammatically incorrect. Ludwig AI flags it as such, recommending alternatives like "sustained decline" or "declining trend" for clearer and more accurate communication. Although it attempts to convey a continuous negative trend, its non-standard usage detracts from its effectiveness, making it unsuitable for formal or professional writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

continuous decline

Replaces the adjective "sustained" with "continuous", offering a more standard phrasing for an ongoing decrease.

prolonged decrease

Substitutes "declining" with "decrease" and "sustained" with "prolonged", emphasizing the length of the decline.

ongoing downturn

Replaces "declining" with "downturn", suggesting a negative trend in a particular area, and "sustained" with "ongoing" to highlight the duration.

steady decrease

Uses "steady" instead of "sustained" to indicate a consistent and gradual decline.

consistent reduction

Replaces "declining" with "reduction", focusing on the decreasing amount, and "sustained" with "consistent".

long-term decline

Uses "long-term" to emphasize the extended duration of the decline.

persistent decrease

Emphasizes the unwavering nature of the decrease by using "persistent" instead of "sustained".

continuous downturn

Combines "continuous" and "downturn" to highlight both the uninterrupted nature and the negative impact of the decline.

protracted reduction

Replaces both words to create a formal and somewhat emphatic description of a drawn-out decline.

unrelenting decrease

Highlights the severity and persistence of the decline.

FAQs

Is it grammatically correct to say "sustained declining"?

No, the phrase "sustained declining" is not grammatically correct. It's better to use the noun form "sustained decline".

What's a more appropriate phrase than "sustained declining"?

Alternatives include "continuous decline", "prolonged decrease", or "declining trend", which are grammatically sound and widely accepted.

How can I use "sustained decline" in a sentence?

Example: "The company experienced a sustained decline in profits due to increased competition."

What is the difference between "sustained declining" and "sustained decline"?

"Sustained declining" is grammatically incorrect. "Sustained decline" is the correct form, where "sustained" is an adjective modifying the noun "decline".