year-on-year decrease

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "year-on-year decrease" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use this phrase when referring to an amount that decreases, either in size or frequency, when compared to the same amount in the previous year. For example, "The company reported a 2% year-on-year decrease in profits for the second quarter."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

9 human-written examples

This was a 3.7% year-on-year decrease.

The Guardian

In percentage terms, the decline for July was more than double the 2.8percentt year-on-year decrease in June.

The New York Times

In August the Herald, also part of the Newsquest group, saw a more modest rise of 3.92% compared to July, a year-on-year decrease of 9.12%.

The Guardian

They registered a figure of -12%, a decline of four percentage points over the last quarter and a year-on-year decrease of nine percentage points.

The Guardian - Money

However, behind the overall buoyant figures it emerged that the Asia Pacific region saw a 29% year-on-year decrease in operating profit last year, showing that the M&C Saatchi recovery is not yet complete.

The Guardian

A jobs drought, a new academic year in which university fees will be more expensive than ever before, and the first year-on-year decrease in upper A-level grades in memory.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

It also showed striking regional differences, with museums in northern England, Northern Ireland and Wales reporting larger year-on-year decreases than those in the Midlands, southern England and Scotland.

The Guardian

Drbul expects the revenues for the second quarter drop to under $600m, which would represent an 18% year on year decrease from the $732m that was registered through 2008.

Forbes

In recent months, big customers such as GM and Boeing have started pushing suppliers of aluminium and steel to sign unusually long-term global contracts, often including clauses agreeing year-on-year price decreases for materials.

The Economist

The company shipped 9 million units during Q4 2011, a 20percentt decrease year-on-year and a 5percentt decrease compared to Q3.

TechCrunch

This would mean that existing frozen pensioners would receive the annual percentage increase enjoyed by their UK peers, stopping the year-on-year real-terms decrease.

The Guardian - Money

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about financial or statistical data, ensure that the timeframe for the "year-on-year decrease" is clearly defined to avoid ambiguity. For example, specify if you are referring to a calendar year or a fiscal year.

Common error

Avoid using "year-on-year decrease" interchangeably with sequential decreases (e.g., quarter-on-quarter). "Year-on-year" specifically compares a period to the same period in the previous year, not the immediately preceding period.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "year-on-year decrease" functions as a descriptor of change, specifically indicating a reduction when comparing data from one year to the previous. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's grammatically correct and widely used. Examples show usage in describing financial performance and statistical trends.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

52%

Science

28%

Encyclopedias

8%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

4%

Social Media

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "year-on-year decrease" is a common and grammatically sound phrase used to describe a decline when comparing data to the same period in the previous year. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is widely accepted. It's primarily used in news, science, and encyclopedic contexts. For similar situations you can also use "year-over-year decline" or "annual decrease" as semantically similar phrases. When using this phrase, ensure the timeframe is clearly defined and avoid confusing it with sequential comparisons. The goal here is to ensure clarity and accuracy when discussing changes over time.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

year-over-year decline

Replaces "on" with "over", offering a slightly different phrasing for the same concept.

year-on-year contraction

Substitutes "decrease" with "contraction", often used in economic contexts to denote a shrinking of the market or economy.

decline from the prior year

Uses "decline" instead of "decrease" and "prior year" instead of "previous year", slightly altering the wording.

annual decrease

Simplifies the phrase by removing the comparative aspect, focusing on the decrease itself.

annual reduction

Replaces "decrease" with "reduction", providing a more general term for a lessening in amount.

year-on-year drop

Substitutes "decrease" with "drop", a more informal term suggesting a sudden decline.

decrease compared to the previous year

Expands the phrase to explicitly state the comparison being made, adding clarity.

fall year-on-year

Emphasizes the "fall" in a metric in relation to the same period of the previous year.

previous year decrease

Shortens the term by removing "on-year" and implying the comparison with the previous year.

compared to last year decrease

Specifies the timeframe more clearly than "year-on-year", and could be used in less formal contexts.

FAQs

What does "year-on-year decrease" mean?

A "year-on-year decrease" indicates that a specific value or metric has decreased when compared to the same period in the previous year. For instance, a year-on-year decrease in sales means that sales this year are lower than they were during the same period last year.

How is "year-on-year decrease" calculated?

The year-on-year change is calculated by subtracting the value from the previous year from the current year's value, then dividing by the previous year's value, and multiplying by 100 to get a percentage. A negative percentage represents a "year-on-year decrease".

What are some alternatives to "year-on-year decrease"?

You can use alternatives like "year-over-year decline", "annual decrease", or "decrease compared to the previous year" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "year-on-year decrease" and "month-on-month decrease"?

Yes, "year-on-year decrease" compares a period to the same period in the previous year, while "month-on-month decrease" compares a month to the immediately preceding month. For example, a month-on-month decrease in sales compares this month's sales to last month's sales.