would have dipped

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "would have dipped" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to express a hypothetical situation in the past where an action was expected to occur but did not. Example: "If I had known the party would be so boring, I would have dipped early."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

Excluding such fluctuations, retail sales would have dipped 0.4percentt.

The New York Times

"You know if you would have dipped at the line, you would have won gold?" someone said to Montsho.

The New York Times - Sports

And his admonition to "save Social Security first" intimidated Senate Republicans from enacting a major tax cut that would have dipped into the projected surpluses.

The Washington Post

He had also got far enough forward to test Hugo Lloris with a 25-yard shot that would have dipped under the bar had the goalkeeper not intervened.

The Guardian - Sport

Schuerholz probably would have dipped deeper into the minor league system to acquire a starting pitcher, but a calculating general manager has his limits.

The New York Times - Sports

The reduced levies brought in an extra $159 million for shareholders, without which Goldman's annualized return on equity for the quarter would have dipped from 10.5 percent to 9.6 percent, or just below the rule-of-thumb estimate for a big bank's cost of capital.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

If people bought that, Congress's approval rating wouldn't have dipped last week to what I'm pretty sure are negative integers and you'd hear mention of Mitch McConnell and Mother Teresa in the same breath.

The New York Times

Attendance would not have dipped.

The New York Times

Danger!" Every publication that grades shows by the star system has awarded "Chimerica" the full complement of five, and would probably have dipped further into the constellation had the ratings scale allowed.

The New York Times

Hadley's observations of the ebb and flow of female desire and frustration are reminiscent of Virginia Woolf, but she taps sensual undercurrents where Woolf wouldn't have dipped her toe.

The New York Times

They also pointed out that early trading in the stock, whose price initially soared, was disrupted by unfortunate glitches in NASDAQ's system, which temporarily caused confusion amongst investors who were not clear if their orders had been processed.True, but the firm's share price would almost certainly have dipped anyway without support from Facebook's investment-banking friends.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "would have dipped", ensure the context clearly indicates a hypothetical past situation. This phrase is most effective when the sentence establishes a condition that, if met, would have resulted in a decrease or decline.

Common error

Avoid using "would have dipped" to describe current or future situations. This phrase is strictly for hypothetical past events. For present or future scenarios, use "would dip" or "will dip" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "would have dipped" functions as a verb phrase in the past perfect conditional tense. It expresses a hypothetical outcome in the past that did not actually occur. Ludwig AI confirms this usage is grammatically correct and commonly found in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Sports

17%

Wiki

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "would have dipped" is a verb phrase used to describe a hypothetical decrease in the past. Ludwig AI indicates that it is grammatically correct and usable in various contexts, particularly in News & Media and Sports reporting. When using this phrase, ensure the context clearly indicates a hypothetical past situation to avoid misuse. Consider alternatives such as ""would have declined"" or ""would have fallen"" for nuanced meanings. Remember to avoid the common error of using it for present or future scenarios.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

would have declined

Replaces "dipped" with a more general term for decrease.

would have decreased

Similar to 'declined', but emphasizes the action of diminishing.

would have reduced

Focuses on the act of lessening something.

would have fallen

Implies a sudden or significant drop.

would have subsided

Suggests a gradual decrease or calming down.

would have lessened

Highlights the reduction in intensity or degree.

would have diminished

Emphasizes a gradual fading or weakening.

would have bottomed out

Indicates reaching the lowest point.

would have receded

Implies a movement away or back from a certain level.

would have slumped

Suggests a sudden and significant decline, often in an economic context.

FAQs

How can I use "would have dipped" in a sentence?

Use "would have dipped" to describe a hypothetical situation in the past that resulted in a decline. For example, "If they hadn't intervened, profits "would have dipped" significantly."

What are some alternatives to the phrase "would have dipped"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "would have declined", "would have decreased", or "would have fallen" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it correct to say "would of dipped" instead of "would have dipped"?

No, "would of dipped" is grammatically incorrect. The correct form is "would have dipped", where "have" is an auxiliary verb.

What's the difference between "would have dipped" and "would dip"?

"Would have dipped" refers to a hypothetical situation in the past, while "would dip" refers to a hypothetical situation in the present or future. For example, "If the storm hadn't hit, the temperature "would have dipped"" (past), versus "If the sun sets, the temperature "would dip"" (future).