Meaning & use
scale down gradually
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Meanings
phrasephrasal verb
to reduce the size, amount, or extent of something slowly over a period of time
Grammar: Takes an object: scale down gradually the number of staff. The adverb 'gradually' can go before the verb or at the end.
Patterns
- scale something down gradually
- scale down something gradually
The company decided to scale down gradually rather than close the factory all at once.
We need to scale down gradually our use of plastic to avoid a sudden shortage.
After the peak season, they scaled down gradually, letting temporary workers go one by one.
phraseintransitive
to become smaller or less intense in a slow, steady way
Grammar: No object; the subject is the thing that becomes smaller: The operation scaled down gradually.
Patterns
- scale down gradually
The protests scaled down gradually after the government agreed to talk.
As the emergency passed, the rescue effort scaled down gradually.
Common combinations
- scale down gradually over time
- The business scaled down gradually over time to avoid shocking its employees.
- scale down gradually rather than suddenly
- It's better to scale down gradually rather than suddenly if you want to keep customers.
- scale down gradually to a smaller size
- The army scaled down gradually to a smaller size after the war ended.
- gradually scale down production
- They gradually scaled down production as demand fell.
Synonyms and how they differ
- phase out
- Suggests removing something in stages until it stops completely; 'scale down gradually' focuses on making it smaller, not necessarily ending it.
- wind down
- Often used for bringing an activity to an end slowly; 'scale down gradually' can also mean just reducing, not finishing.
- reduce
- A general word that doesn't show the slow, step-by-step process as clearly.
Opposites
Word family
- scale down phrasal verb
- to reduce something in size or amount
- scaled-down adjective
- made smaller than the original
- gradual adjective
- happening slowly over time
- gradually adverb
- in a slow, steady way
Commonly confused: scale down gradually or scale up gradually?
scale down gradually vs scale up gradually
The opposite: 'scale up' means to increase, not reduce. Don't mix them up.
Practice
The government decided to ______ the military operation ______ to avoid a sudden withdrawal.
Choose one answer.
'Scale down gradually' means reduce slowly, which fits the idea of avoiding a sudden withdrawal. 'Scale up' is the opposite, and 'gradual' is an adjective, not an adverb, so it can't describe 'scale down'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “scale down gradually”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.