REDUCE Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

reduce

verb

ri-ˈdüs

Definition of reduce

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

as in to decrease

to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent you'll have to reduce the amount of money you spend on unnecessary purchases if you want to have any money left for retirement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to lower

to diminish the price or value of a mortgage crisis that reduced homes to their lowest level in a decade

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 The proposal would have reduced the state’s income-tax rate from 5% to 4% over three years. — Robert Cordy, Boston Herald, 19 July 2026 How to Store Potatoes to Prevent Sprouting Le Mire says buying fresh potatoes and checking for firmness at the store before purchasing them can help reduce sprouting. — Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Martha Stewart, 19 July 2026 On the tennis courts, an AquaAir unit produces water from humid air, reducing the need for water from the main supply. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 July 2026 What does Frost mean by that wonderfully indeterminate something that is always trying to reduce a wall? — Matt Seaton, The Atlantic, 19 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for reduce

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reduce

Verb

Last summer, Crystal Palace were demoted from the Europa League to the Conference League because co-owner John Textor held shares in both Palace and Lyon, who had also qualified for the Europa League.

— James Pearce, New York Times, 11 July 2026
Scheublin wasn’t demoted to a borough command post until January 2026, having at that point been the subject of a criminal investigation for a year.

— Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 10 July 2026

Definition of demote

Verb

Doing so would inevitably raise the price of the shoes, and the performance-to-value ratio that’s such a big appeal now would decrease.

— Scott Douglas, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026
As traffic in the waterway decreases, the oil market is facing the same squeeze that has taken millions of barrels offline per day since March.

— Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 16 July 2026

Definition of decrease

Verb

In addition, the way graduation rates are reported across BIE schools was changed to address flawed data collection that previously depressed the numbers.

— Savannah Peters, Fortune, 13 July 2026
The Swiss victory over Colombia in Tuesday’s knockout match seemed to depress the market further.

— Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 8 July 2026

Definition of depress

Verb

The attacks, involving fighter aircraft, drones and naval vessels, struck missile and drone facilities, naval assets and coastal defense systems to further degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping, Centcom said.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 15 July 2026
Preserving the forests that remain, while restoring those that have been degraded, may ultimately prove far more valuable than chasing ever-larger tree-planting targets alone.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026

Definition of degrade

Verb

If the soil is depleted of an element, plant growth and health are negatively affected.

— Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 July 2026
If the roster is depleted any further by trades or injuries, the Angels could go into a tailspin and lose 100 games for the first time in franchise history.

— Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 15 July 2026

Definition of deplete

Verb

And SpaceX stock sank below its $135 IPO price for the first time about a month after its blockbuster debut, as hype around the reusable rocket maker fizzled.

— Anniek Bao, CNBC, 16 July 2026
Authorities know where the boat sank but have not yet pinpointed its exact location on the bay floor.

— Paris Barraza, USA Today, 16 July 2026

Definition of sink

Verb

Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.

— CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
Kylian Mbappé’s powers were diminished in that tournament after sustaining a broken nose, while emerging stars like Michael Olise and Désiré Doué were yet to break through.

— James Robson, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026

Definition of diminish

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red stars

reduce

reduced

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“Reduce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reduce. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of reduce

verb

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