reduce

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3

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 Older adults also face an increasing frequency of setbacks to their physical and emotional health, which can reduce their self-confidence and hinder their skepticism. Madhusree Mukerjee, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2025 Some parents also believe that spreading out shots might reduce the likelihood of side effects such as fever or mild rash, although research has not shown differences in side effects. Katia Hetter, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2025 As streamers have reduced their spend over the last few years, some producers have opted to finance projects themselves. Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025 Towels should be washed every one to three uses to reduce bacteria and mildew. Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 8 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reduce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reduce
Verb
  • Flacco played in four games for Cleveland in 2025, starting all of them and leading the team to a 1-3 mark before he was demoted in favor of Gabriel.
    Max Dible, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Oct. 2025
  • But Old Man Nate’s ascension to the big four means Jawan has been officially demoted to the minor leagues.
    Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Sesame oil is high in antioxidants that may help decrease the risk of cancer and heart disease, along with reducing joint pain related to arthritis.
    Susan Selasky, Freep.com, 4 Oct. 2025
  • As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 4 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Douglass advises against starting from the assumption that people arrive somewhere and immediately begin to degrade the environment.
    Ari Daniel, NPR, 8 Oct. 2025
  • This process degrades the mirrors' reflectivity and clarity over time, so technicians regularly recoat and polish them to ensure the best precision.
    Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Experts say the sales that took place ahead of its expiration will likely depress sales in the months ahead.
    Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Key Takeaways Alcohol and Benadryl both depress the central nervous system (CNS), and combining them can dramatically worsen side effects like drowsiness, slowed breathing, confusion, and impaired coordination.
    Alex Yampolsky, Verywell Health, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In addition, holiday shopping began as early as July for some consumers, who were looking to avoid higher prices and shortages on retail shelves later in the year, inevitably depleting the sales tally for the traditional November through December holiday period.
    David Moin, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Plants that are heavy feeders or that have high water requirements may deplete resources mums need.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 6 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • They’ve been outscored 69-9 in the first half the last three weeks combined, and the season is sinking with Browning at the helm.
    Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Cook over medium, stirring constantly, just until milk solids sink to bottom of skillet and begin to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
    Elizabeth Mervosh, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Their patches of habitat and their water sources are diminishing; their feeding timeline has grown increasingly erratic, and more barricades are being built all the time, limiting their freedom of movement.
    Ganesh Marín, The Dial, 7 Oct. 2025
  • And another sign the perception is of a Panthers team diminished.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • As Science Alert points out, light also attenuates and degrades over long distances.
    Chris Young, Interesting Engineering, 30 Sep. 2025
  • China will be their biggest source of external influence but not by a huge margin, and many other countries, including the United States, Australia, India, and Japan, will attenuate Beijing’s sway.
    SUSANNAH PATTON, Foreign Affairs, 25 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reduce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reduce. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on reduce

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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