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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
Despite these improvements, Lyft’s share price decreased by 30% over the same period. Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 31 May 2025 Passenger boarding solutions can reduce boarding time, decrease customer service wait times, reduce infrastructure costs and improve operational efficiency. Stoyan Mitov, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025
Noun
However, there may be modest decreases that fluctuate with the economy. Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 May 2025 Participants on the protein bar regimen also had more significant decreases in blood pressure, waist circumference, and markers of fatty liver. Sarah Garone, Health, 29 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for decrease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decrease
Verb
  • With Bayern aiming to reduce their wage bill, the Wirtz signing would have come at the cost of at least an extra €20million (£16.8m, $22.7m) per year, on top of a transfer fee somewhere between €100m and €150m.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 28 May 2025
  • Their original sentences, which were 12 years and seven years, respectively, were reduced in September 2023.
    Esther Kang, People.com, 28 May 2025
Verb
  • Augmenting Human Relationships with AI AI's role in enhancing efficiency does not diminish the need for human expertise in B2B interactions.
    John Bruno, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
  • The 25-year-old’s sample might be small, but in an era of diminishing workloads, Zack Wheeler and Max Fried are the only current starters averaging 6 1/3 innings.
    Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 2 June 2025
Noun
  • The order to reorganize the NRC will include significant staff reductions but is not intended to fire NRC commissioners who lead the agency.
    Matthew Daly, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025
  • The bill, which passed the House Thursday by one vote, makes big reductions in Medicaid, called Medi-Cal in California.
    David Lightman, Sacbee.com, 23 May 2025
Verb
  • So much oil got sucked out of the port and its neighborhoods that the ground started to subside, in some places yards deep.
    Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2025
  • There was a slight uptick in turnovers in the postseason, but that must subside against the Thunder.
    Zach Harper, New York Times, 20 May 2025
Noun
  • But there are also other factors contributing to the job decline, such as price compression caused by oversupply, which has forced many operators to cut costs, including labor expenses.
    Dario Sabaghi, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025
  • That's when crossings at the border first began their sharp decline, a trend that accelerated after Trump took office.
    Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 26 May 2025
Verb
  • Heavy rain is falling across the Kansas City area, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood warning for parts of the metro.
    Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 3 June 2025
  • Disproportionate burden of care Traditionally, child care and household duties fall squarely on mothers.
    Melissa Willets, Parents, 3 June 2025
Noun
  • Except for a drop last year to 495 people, deaths of homeless people have risen steadily for at least a decade.
    Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 May 2025
  • Rub it with a few drops of oil before putting it away to maintain the nonstick seasoning long term.
    Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 25 May 2025
Verb
  • More international alignment might have eased the U.S. infant formula crisis in 2022, when contamination shut down an Abbott factory, leading to monthslong shortages for American parents, Young said.
    Jonel Aleccia, Chicago Tribune, 3 June 2025
  • But China is frustrating the U.S. by moving too slowly on easing its rare earth export controls, The Wall Street Journal reported, a key part of the Geneva agreement.
    Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Decrease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decrease. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.

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