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decrease

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noun

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
Ukraine’s population has been decreasing since the country regained its independence in 1991. Katya Soldak, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025 Alcohol, soft drinks, and coffee can also decrease magnesium bioavailability. Merve Ceylan, Health, 11 Apr. 2025
Noun
This equates to an average price bump of $317 compared to an average price decrease of $238 in February. Charles Singh, USA Today, 12 Apr. 2025 The midyear budget in this fiscal year was also adjusted to reflect a decrease in Measure Q revenue from $3.4 million to $3.2 million. Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for decrease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decrease
Verb
  • The goal of this prescribed burn is to decrease the existing fire hazard and to prevent and reduce the impact of future fires in the area.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Traditional office leasing implies maintainable overheads, upkeep costs and long-term financial commitments; modular offices eliminate them and reduce construction costs by as much as 30%.
    Ascend Agency, New York Daily News, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The previous six champions were all diminished the following season by either injuries or significant roster changes.
    Jay King, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
  • But the same things that prevent parents from maintaining employment or housing — especially substance abuse and mental illness — often inhibit them from engaging in services, while also diminishing their ability to protect and care for their children.
    Emily Putnam-Hornstein and Naomi Schaefer Riley, Twin Cities, 13 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Such reductions would likely require cuts to Medicaid, the joint federal-state health care plan for low-income residents, but exactly how those cuts would be implementedhas yet to be decided.
    Danielle J. Brown, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Obviously, income reductions aren't advisable but can come with an income-tax silver lining.
    Russ Wiles, USA Today, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • While the threat of more tornadoes has subsided in the Great Plains, fire danger remains elevated Monday in the region.
    Ginger Zee, ABC News, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Inflation, which went wild post-Covid, subsided in February, according to data yesterday that gave markets a brief reprieve.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • This is a result of a profit-first capitalist system in crisis in the epoch of imperialism’s decline.
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Gold’s warning What’s more, the spike in gold prices this year has continued to signal a risk-off mentality among investors, as gold tends to rally during periods of decline in stocks.
    Pia Singh, CNBC, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • And bond market yields fall by about 150 basis points (1.5 percentage points).11 The Fed Fed Chair Powell says the Fed is waiting for the softening survey data to translate into hard data before moving toward lower interest rates.
    Robert Barone, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Detectives kept it to themselves, instead the LAPD let the suspects think that investigators had fallen for what police perceived to be a trick.
    Greg Fisher, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • That was the sharpest drop except for that seen at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
    Betty Lin-Fisher, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
  • That also contributes to Alpha Direct's allure—many of the small companies that make these layers only make them in small drops.
    Scott Gilbertson, Wired News, 18 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The Menstrual Cycle Support Tea promotes hormonal balance, eases menstrual cramps, and aids with managing sugar cravings.
    Bianca Salonga, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Getting Mitchell off the ball more also balanced the offense and eased the load on Mitchell’s balky knees … and worked so well that the Cavs led the league in offensive efficiency.
    John Hollinger, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Decrease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decrease. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

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