decrease

¹de·crease

verb \di-ˈkrēs, ˈdē-ˌ\

de·creasedde·creas·ing

Definition of DECREASE

intransitive verb

: to grow progressively less (as in size, amount, number, or intensity)

transitive verb

: to cause to decrease

— de·creas·ing·ly \di-ˈkrē-siŋ-lē, dē-\ adverb

Examples of DECREASE

1. Sales decreased by five percent this year.
2. The driver decreased her speed as she approached the curve.
3. These changes will decrease our expenses.

Origin of DECREASE

Middle English decreessen, from Anglo-French decrestre, from Latin decrescere, from de- + crescere to grow — more at crescent

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to DECREASE

Synonyms

abate, de-escalate, dent, deplete, diminish, downscale, downsize, drop, dwindle, ease, knock down, lessen, lower, reduce

Antonyms

aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, enlarge, escalate, expand, increase, raise

Related Words

compress, condense, constrict, contract; abbreviate, abridge, clip, crop, curtail, cut, cut back, cut down, dock, nick, pare, prune, retrench, shorten, slash, trim, truncate, whittle; deflate, shrink; minimize; moderate, modify, modulate, qualify

Near Antonyms

blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, swell; elongate, extend, lengthen, prolong, protract; add (to), complement, supplement; enhance, heighten, intensify; redouble

Synonym Discussion of DECREASE

decrease, lessen, diminish, reduce, abate, dwindle mean to grow or make less. decrease suggests a progressive decline in size, amount, numbers, or intensity <slowly decreased the amount of pressure>. lessen suggests a decline in amount rather than in number <has been unable to lessen her debt>. diminish emphasizes a perceptible loss and implies its subtraction from a total <his visual acuity has diminished>. reduce implies a bringing down or lowering <you must reduce your caloric intake>. abate implies a reducing of something excessive or oppressive in force or amount <the storm abated>. dwindle implies progressive lessening and is applied to things growing visibly smaller <their provisions dwindled slowly>.

Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms

abscissa, denominator, divisor, equilateral, exponent, hypotenuse, logarithm, oblique, radii, rhomb

²de·crease

noun \ˈdē-ˌkrēs, di-ˈ\

Definition of DECREASE

1

: the process of decreasing

2

: an amount of diminution : reduction

Examples of DECREASE

1. Studies report a recent decrease in traffic accidents.
2. Because of the injury, some decrease in mobility is to be expected.
3. a decrease of three dollars

First Known Use of DECREASE

14th century

Related to DECREASE

Synonyms

abatement, decline, decrement, dent, depletion, depression, diminishment, diminution, drop, drop-off, fall, falloff, loss, reduction, shrinkage, step-down

Antonyms

boost, enlargement, gain, increase, increment, raise, rise, step-up, uptick

Related Words

deduction, subtraction; downturn, slip, slump; curtailment, cut, cutback, retrenchment, shortening

Near Antonyms

accretion, accrual, accumulation, addition, supplement; continuation, extension; upswing, uptrend, upturn

Other Mathematics and Statistics Terms

abscissa, denominator, divisor, equilateral, exponent, hypotenuse, logarithm, oblique, radii, rhomb