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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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 Experts also note that equitable access to mental health care and continuing to lower stigma are key roles in the ongoing mission to reduce suicide in teens. De Elizabeth, Parents, 19 Aug. 2025 Speakers and community members offered possible solutions to reduce youth violence and pleaded for the crowd to share any information about the Aug. 13 shooting. Keely Doll, The Courier-Journal, 19 Aug. 2025 Do not follow large vehicles closely - Large vehicles like trucks or buses can create a spray of water that can reduce your visibility. Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 19 Aug. 2025 Judge Kevin McDonough reduced Dennis' bond to $20,000. Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 7 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reduce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reduce
Verb
  • This season he will likely be demoted to the practice squad.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 24 Aug. 2025
  • If/when Hankins returns, Seattle will probably demote Bohanna and re-sign him to the practice squad.
    Michael-Shawn Dugar, New York Times, 24 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Motor vehicle thefts declined 21 percent this month and 27 percent year-to-date, while burglaries decreased 28 percent from July 2024.
    Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 Aug. 2025
  • The Congressional Budget Office projected that the administration’s tariff policy would decrease the total deficits by up to $4 trillion over the next decade.
    Sydney Topf, The Washington Examiner, 23 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • For starters, the quality of natural water is degrading—creating more favorable conditions for Legionella, which loves acidic water and low oxygen levels, to multiply—as the planet warms.
    Dylan Scott, Wired News, 23 Aug. 2025
  • Organizations celebrate productivity metrics while quality quietly degrades.
    Tarun Galagali, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • His digital life is just as organized—a fact that never fails to amaze (and slightly depress) me.
    Dan Rockmore, New Yorker, 9 Aug. 2025
  • The fallout of black swan events like wars and pandemics can trigger higher interest rates, increase inflationary pressures, depress economic growth, erode investor confidence and depreciate the value of money.
    Mitch Salchow, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Projections show it could be depleted by 2034 if no policy changes are made.
    Andrew Rosen, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
  • The impact on consumers is expected to become more pronounced later in the year as companies’ existing inventory is depleted.
    Anne D’Innocenzio, Twin Cities, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action, sank from 3.79% to 3.69% in a notable move for the bond market.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Aug. 2025
  • The two-year Treasury yield, which more closely tracks expectations for what the Fed will do with its main interest rate, sank to 3.69% from 3.79%.
    Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 22 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Keep clear of puddles - Driving through puddles or low rainwater areas can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2025
  • The reality is that professionalism, delivered consistently, will outlast attempts to diminish it.
    Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • To reach the detector, the team explained, the signal must have traveled through thousands of miles of rock first, which should have attenuated it down to nothing.
    Ian Randall, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025
  • The Tilt control adjusting both ends of the frequency spectrum together, either attenuating the bass and lifting the treble or lifting the bass and attenuating the treble in 1dB steps.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Reduce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reduce. Accessed 29 Aug. 2025.

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