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lower bound

American  
[loh-er] / ˈloʊ ər /

noun

Mathematics.
  1. an element less than or equal to all the elements in a given set.

    The numbers 0 and 1 are lower bounds of the set consisting of 1, 2, and 3.


lower bound Scientific  
  1. A number that is less than or equal to every number in a given set.


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Same-store sales growth is expected in a range from 0.75% decline to 2.5% increase, with the lower bound lifted from a 1.25% decline.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 2, 2026

"Given the spillovers from the war, we expect near-term demand for IMF balance-of-payments support to rise by somewhere between $20 billion and $50 billion, with the lower bound prevailing if ceasefire holds," Georgieva said.

From Barron's Apr. 9, 2026

Crypto crime hit a record $20.1 billion in 2022, Chainalysis said, calling this a lower bound estimate.

From Reuters Oct. 23, 2023

Although the estimate has tightened, it is still not possible to report a lower bound for the neutrino’s mass.

From Scientific American Feb. 21, 2022

The F.D.A. set 30 percent as the lower bound for efficacy in its criteria.

From New York Times Feb. 9, 2022

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