Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Thesaurus

decrease

noun

Synonyms and Antonyms of decrease

the amount by which something is lessened

  • the average decrease in the price of milk was five cents per gallon
Synonyms of decrease

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

deduction, subtraction

downturn, slip, slump

curtailment, cut, cutback, retrenchment, shortening
Near Antonyms of decrease

accretion, accrual, accumulation, addition, supplement

continuation, extension

upswing, uptrend, upturn
Antonyms of decrease

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

decrease

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of decrease

1 to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent

  • workers decreased the volume of water flowing through the pipes in order to prevent an overflow
Synonyms of decrease

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

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 of decrease

blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, swell

elongate, extend, lengthen, prolong, protract

add (to), complement, supplement

enhance, heighten, intensify

redouble
Antonyms of decrease

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

2 to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

  • the force of the wind slowly decreased until the flowers were standing upright again
Synonyms of decrease

abate, decline, de-escalate, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, lessen, let up, lower, moderate, pall, phase down, ratchet (down) also rachet (down) , recede, relent, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, wane
Words Related to decrease

compress, condense, constrict, contract

evaporate, fade (away), fritter (away), give out, melt (away), peter (out), tail (off), vanish

slacken, slow (down)

alleviate, relax

flag, sink, weaken

cave (in), collapse, deflate
Near Antonyms of decrease

appear, emerge, show up

blow up, distend, elongate, lengthen
Antonyms of decrease

accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon (also bourgeon), enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mount, mushroom, pick up, rise, snowball, soar, swell, wax

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

Learn More about decrease

  1. Dictionary: Definition of decrease Spanish Central: Translation of decrease Nglish: Translation of decrease for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of decrease for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up decrease? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show comments hide comments

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

WORD OF THE DAY

chapel

a private place of worship

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. gaslight It is a word, though.

  2. invasion CNN reporter questions President.

  3. relevancy Ariana Grande slams ex-fiancé.

SEE ALL

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games