reduce

verb

ri-ˈdüs How to pronounce reduce (audio)
Definition of reducenext
1
as in to demote
to bring to a lower grade or rank was reduced from team captain to team member as punishment for his misbehavior on the court

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to decrease
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent you'll have to reduce the amount of money you spend on unnecessary purchases if you want to have any money left for retirement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to lower
to diminish the price or value of a mortgage crisis that reduced homes to their lowest level in a decade

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb reduce differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of reduce are abate, decrease, diminish, dwindle, and lessen. While all these words mean "to grow or make less," reduce implies a bringing down or lowering.

you must reduce your caloric intake

When would abate be a good substitute for reduce?

The synonyms abate and reduce are sometimes interchangeable, but abate implies a reducing of something excessive or oppressive in force or amount.

the storm abated

Where would decrease be a reasonable alternative to reduce?

The meanings of decrease and reduce largely overlap; however, decrease suggests a progressive decline in size, amount, numbers, or intensity.

slowly decreased the amount of pressure

When can diminish be used instead of reduce?

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

his visual acuity has diminished

In what contexts can dwindle take the place of reduce?

In some situations, the words dwindle and reduce are roughly equivalent. However, dwindle implies progressive lessening and is applied to things growing visibly smaller.

their provisions dwindled slowly

When is lessen a more appropriate choice than reduce?

The words lessen and reduce are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, lessen suggests a decline in amount rather than in number.

has been unable to lessen her debt

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 reduce In parts of the river’s upper basin, groundwater pumping can reduce the flow of streams by lowering the water table, Abdelmohsen said. —Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 27 May 2025 Wash and peel produce to further reduce the risk of bacteria. —Jenna Anderson, Health, 27 May 2025 The bridge will be reduced to one lane from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays. —Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 27 May 2025 An estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the proposals would reduce the number of people with health care by at least 7.6 million from the Medicaid changes, and possibly more with other changes to the Affordable Care Act. —Kevin Freking, Chicago Tribune, 16 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for reduce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reduce
  1. demote
  2. decrease
  3. degrade
  4. depress
  5. deplete
  6. sink
  7. diminish
  8. attenuate
Verb
  • Good as the Royals’ rotation is, ranking third in the majors in ERA, the team lacks depth at Triple A. By demoting Cameron, the Royals could keep him stretched out and ready for his next major-league opportunity.
    — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 30 May 2025
  • Rodgers was released in March and Hackett was demoted from playcalling duties amidst a 5-12 season.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 30 May 2025
Definition of demote
Verb
  • These students, many already at an educational disadvantage, are left with instability, fewer learning opportunities and decreased academic performance.
    — Lakeisha Wells Palmer, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 June 2025
  • As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.
    — KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 1 June 2025
Definition of decrease
Verb
  • Israeli forces are expected to continue their campaign to eliminate remaining Hamas leaders and degrade the group's military capabilities.
    — Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
  • Lithium-ion batteries degrade over time and can overheat if charged beyond their capacity and cause fires, according to FEMA’s U.S. Fire Administration.
    — David Matthews, New York Daily News, 28 May 2025
Definition of degrade
Verb
  • His wife, Karen Walsh, hovers over him, ready to depress the plunger on a nasal spray applicator.
    — Jon Hamilton, NPR, 30 May 2025
  • Burgum said China dumps minerals on the global market to depress prices and undercut U.S. companies.
    — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 13 May 2025
Definition of depress
Verb
  • The impact of the estate tax could deplete 40% of the assets subject to tax at her death.
    — Priya Prakash Royal Esq. LL.M. MBA AEP TEP, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
  • The early colonists didn’t deplete this plentiful stock much, if at all.
    — Benjamin Cassidy, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 May 2025
Definition of deplete
Verb
  • These are sunk costs for most practices, with no clear performance accountability.
    — Sally Ragab, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
  • Unholy sums of capital are being sunk into Silicon Valley.
    — Michael Serazio, Time, 28 May 2025
Definition of sink
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
Definition of diminish
Verb
  • However, it has been shown in rat studies to reduce nicotine use and attenuate withdrawal symptoms associated with morphine and cocaine.
    — Fernando Montero, The Conversation, 6 Mar. 2025
  • That cost advantage is likely to attenuate however, however as battery costs begin to decline, bringing the cost to produce an EREV to between similarly-sized internal combustion and battery-electric vehicles, according to the study.
    — Ed Garsten, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Definition of attenuate

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red stars
reduce
reduced
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Cite this Entry

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

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