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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Advocates of the equality argument often hold that migration will not merely promote equality of opportunity but also reduce economic inequality. — J. Toby Reiner, The Conversation, 18 Sep. 2026 Another man who assisted Colbert and White with their criminal ring, Christian Anderson, 35, testified against them in exchange for reducing his charges to simple robbery and access device fraud, according to Purpura. — CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026 The process reduces water consumption by up to 85 percent, energy use by up to 68 percent, and processing time by up to 50 percent. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026 Stirring regularly, bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low -- the milk should be barely simmering -- and cover. — ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reduce

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reduce

Verb

Andy Green spent all of Thursday night thinking about the time Jared Young was demoted from the Chicago Cubs to Triple-A on the final day of the minor league season.

— Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 18 Sep. 2026
Another is that, with the United States entangled in Iran and busy managing Venezuela, Cuba has simply been demoted as a priority.

— Will Freeman, Foreign Affairs, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of demote

Verb

This type of reinforcement can not only disrupt barking at that moment but also decrease unwanted behaviors.

— BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026
This will decrease temperatures across the entirety of Central and Northern California, brining partly cloudy skies to the Central Valley and even some briefly overcast conditions to areas north of Sacramento.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of decrease

Verb

As industries increasingly operate equipment in extreme thermal and demanding environments, optical components must withstand conditions that can quickly degrade conventional materials.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026
When a critical resource of a larger system is categorized as interchangeable, the company triggers savings logic that, in pursuit of lower prices, degrades quality.

— Mindaugas Čaplinskas, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of degrade

Verb

On Friday, a ferry sank near Vanuatu, leaving more than 30 people missing.

— IMAN SATRIA, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
On the economy, in particular, public opinion has soured; a recent consumer sentiment report showed that even Republicans’ view of the economy has sunk.

— Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of sink

Verb

Employees need clarity on how new skills connect to opportunities and confidence that AI will enhance, not diminish, their value in the organization.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2026
If the senator’s moralism has been unfettered by his stroke, with a shift toward right-brain moralistic processing, that does not diminish his sincere intent or its effect.

— Michael P.H. Stanley, STAT, 10 Sep. 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 22 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of reduce

verb

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