decrease 1 of 2

verb

di-ˈkrēs How to pronounce decrease (audio)
Definition of decreasenext
Enter your own sentence containing decrease , and get words to replace it.
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1
as in to reduce
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent workers decreased the volume of water flowing through the pipes in order to prevent an overflow

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to diminish
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually the force of the wind slowly decreased until the flowers were standing upright again

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

decrease

2 of 2

noun

ˈdē-ˌkrēs How to pronounce decrease (audio)
as in reduction
the amount by which something is lessened the average decrease in the price of milk was five cents per gallon

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb decrease differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of decrease are abate, diminish, dwindle, lessen, and reduce. While all these words mean "to grow or make less," decrease suggests a progressive decline in size, amount, numbers, or intensity.

slowly decreased the amount of pressure

When would abate be a good substitute for decrease?

The meanings of abate and decrease largely overlap; however, abate implies a reducing of something excessive or oppressive in force or amount.

the storm abated

When could diminish be used to replace decrease?

While the synonyms diminish and decrease are close in meaning, diminish emphasizes a perceptible loss and implies its subtraction from a total.

his visual acuity has diminished

When can dwindle be used instead of decrease?

Although the words dwindle and decrease have much in common, dwindle implies progressive lessening and is applied to things growing visibly smaller.

their provisions dwindled slowly

When is it sensible to use lessen instead of decrease?

The words lessen and decrease can be used in similar contexts, but lessen suggests a decline in amount rather than in number.

has been unable to lessen her debt

When might reduce be a better fit than decrease?

While in some cases nearly identical to decrease, reduce implies a bringing down or lowering.

you must reduce your caloric intake

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of decrease
Verb
And so, the goal becomes to decrease your rate of natural loss and build your bone mass. — Holly Carter, People.com, 1 Apr. 2025 The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget U.S. Budget Watch, a nonprofit, estimated such a tax would eventually cause a loss in U.S. revenue as the high tax would likely decrease imports from China by some 85%. — Solcyré Burga, Time, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
Fuel efficiency decreases by 0.2% for each 1 PSI decrease. — Rob Lewallen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Apr. 2025 That’s an 80% decrease from 2003 when there were 7,465 robberies. — Michael Loria, USA TODAY, 21 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for decrease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decrease
  1. reduce
  2. diminish
  3. reduction
  4. subside
  5. decline
  6. fall
  7. drop
  8. ease
Verb
  • Standardization can also reduce due diligence burdens.
    — The Sorenson Impact Institute, Forbes.com, 28 Mar. 2025
  • This has, among other losses, reduced Egyptian revenue from the Suez Canal by about eight hundred million dollars a month.
    — Bernard Avishai, New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of reduce
Verb
  • The VMAs, which have seen their social capital diminish over the past few years, delivered a promising ceremony in 2024.
    — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2025
  • As time went on, her pain diminished, but August decided to go to the emergency room.
    — Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of diminish
Noun
  • Recognize The Risks Of A Trade War To Everyone The last major trade war of the 1930s was accompanied by a 60% reduction in global trade.
    — Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The utility has said that the reduction in compensation rates is tied to the rising popularity of solar systems.
    — Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of reduction
Verb
  • The swelling in the area never subsided, prompting surgery to clean up bone spurs that had traveled dangerously close to his Achilles tendon.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 1 Apr. 2025
  • The rain, expected to begin late Sunday, will subside by Monday afternoon, but below-average temperatures will hang around all week, according to the National Weather Service.
    — Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2025
Definition of subside
Noun
  • Related Articles Domestic manufacturers added 10,000 jobs last month, despite a 1,200-person decline at apparel factories.
    — Evan Clark, Footwear News, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Print stayed mostly flat at $3.04 billion, with a 1% gain in ad revenue but a 1% decline in subscriptions.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Mar. 2025
Definition of decline
Verb
  • However, that fight fell apart in early March, when a hand injury forced Whyte from the card.
    — Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • After an electrical malfunction, Neo had fallen over backward — fainting dead away.
    — Cade Metz, New York Times, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of fall
Noun
  • The stock market has opened to another drop on Monday, following last week's historic selloffs, with the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite all down around 4 percent in early trades.
    — John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
  • Trump didn’t name individual lawmakers or prominent conservative figures in the post, which hit just minutes before Wall Street opened with another major drop.
    — Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 7 Apr. 2025
Definition of drop
Verb
  • In the Summer of 2021, following a 9-0 loss in a related Supreme Court case (Alston v. NCAA) and a wave of state laws prohibiting the NCAA’s enforcement of its NIL restrictions, the NCAA significantly eased its restrictions regarding athlete NIL activity.
    — Joe Sabin, Forbes.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Mobilizing the tissue throughout the day by rolling your foot on a massage, lacrosse, or tennis ball can also ease discomfort, as can self-massage and ice, Dr. Malek says.
    — Cindy Kuzma, SELF, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of ease

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Cite this Entry

“Decrease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decrease. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.

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