reduction

noun

re·duc·tion | \ ri-ˈdək-shən

Definition of reduction

1 : the act or process of reducing : the state of being reduced

2a : something made by reducing

b : the amount by which something is reduced

3 [ Spanish reducción, from Latin reduction-, reductio ] : a South American Indian settlement directed by Jesuit missionaries

4 : meiosis sense 2 specifically : production of the gametic chromosome number in the first meiotic division

Other Words from reduction Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about reduction

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Synonyms & Antonyms for reduction

Synonyms

abatement, deduction, discount

Antonyms

accession, addition

Examples of reduction in a Sentence

a drastic reduction in size Many voters want to see some reduction of the deficit. There is a 20 percent reduction on selected items during this sale.

Recent Examples on the Web

It’s especially concerning, youth say, that Governor Herbert made this decision after signing a resolution last year that recognizes the consequences of climate change and encourages the reduction of emissions in Utah. — Maia Wikler, Teen Vogue, "Activists Protest Bureau of Land Management Leasing That Allow Oil and Gas Drilling on Public Lands," 15 Apr. 2019 The phone comes with a detachable gaming pad and liquid cooling with temperature reductions of 8 degrees Celsius. — Dami Lee, The Verge, "The Xiaomi Black Shark gaming phone is coming to Europe," 9 Nov. 2018 After failing to successfully negotiate for a reduction of the U.S.’s $375 billion trade deficit, the administration is enacting new tariffs on Chinese goods. — Renae Reints, Fortune, "Defense Secretary James Mattis Visits China Amidst Uncertain Tensions," 26 June 2018 Chief among the remedies to prop up growth: increasing deficit spending, launching new tax cuts and other fee reductions for businesses—totaling 2 trillion... — Lingling Wei, WSJ, "China Expects 2019 Economic Growth of 6% to 6.5%," 4 Mar. 2019 But by the same token, Clinton wanted spending reductions to unwind the deficit. — Chad Pergram, Fox News, "Trump, GOP plan to rescind budget spending has precedent but rocky path in Congress," 2 Oct. 2018 And just two months after her lip reduction surgery, Rinna and her husband Harry Hamlin loved her more natural look. — Kaitlyn Frey, PEOPLE.com, "Before Kylie Jenner, There Was Lisa Rinna: Everything She Said About Regretting Her Lip Injections," 10 July 2018 Why, then, have some environmentalists been focusing their efforts on plastic straw reduction? — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "Starbucks Vows to Ditch Plastic Straws by 2020. How Will the Oceans Change?," 9 July 2018 With hypertrophic scars, the reduction of collagen is key. — Audrey Noble, Harper's BAZAAR, "How To Get Rid of Acne Scars—Forever," 21 Jan. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reduction.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.