Decrease Definition and Meaning
By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 5, 2024
"Decrease" means to make or become smaller or fewer in size, amount, intensity, or degree. e.g., The company took steps to decrease its environmental impact.
Table of Contents
Decrease Definitions
Decrease refers to the act of diminishing or lessening.
The medication helped to decrease her symptoms.
Decrease can refer to minimizing or contracting something.
The new policy aimed to decrease the gap between rich and poor.
Decrease can mean to shrink in physical size.
The sweater decrease after being washed in hot water.
Decrease means to reduce in quantity or size.
The store decided to decrease its prices during the sale.
Decrease is used for making something smaller or less.
The teacher asked them to decrease the volume of their music.
Decrease involves cutting back on consumption or usage.
They tried to decrease their use of plastic.
Decrease describes a decline in rate or speed.
The runner's pace decrease as he became tired.
Decrease denotes a reduction in level or degree.
The company's profits decrease over the past quarter.
To become or cause to become less or smaller, as in number, amount, or intensity.
The act or process of decreasing.
The amount by which something decreases.
(intransitive) Of a quantity, to become smaller.
The quality of our products has decreased since the main designer left.
(transitive) To make (a quantity) smaller.
Let's decrease the volume a little so we can hear each other talking.
An amount by which a quantity is decreased.
After six years of constant growth, the company reported a slight decrease in sales last year.
(knitting) A reduction in the number of stitches, usually accomplished by suspending the stitch to be decreased from another existing stitch or by knitting it together with another stitch. See Decrease (knitting).
To grow less, - opposed to increase; to be diminished gradually, in size, degree, number, duration, etc., or in strength, quality, or excellence; as, they days decrease in length from June to December.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
The olive leaf, which certainly them toldThe flood decreased.
Crete's ample fields diminish to our eye;Before the Boreal blasts the vessels fly.
To cause to grow less; to diminish gradually; as, extravagance decreases one's means.
That might decrease their present store.
A becoming less; gradual diminution; decay; as, a decrease of revenue or of strength.
The wane of the moon.
A change downward;
There was a decrease in his temperature as the fever subsided
There was a sharp drop-off in sales
A process of becoming smaller or shorter
The amount by which something decreases
The act of decreasing or reducing something
Decrease in size, extent, or range;
The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester
The cabin pressure fell dramatically
Her weight fall to under a hundred pounds
His voice fell to a whisper
Make smaller;
He decreased his staff
Decrease can describe a drop in numbers or amount.
There was a noticeable decrease in attendance at the event.
Decrease pertains to lowering the intensity or strength.
They decrease the brightness of the lights in the evening.
Decrease Snonyms
Reduce
Make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size.
Efforts to reduce pollution have had positive effects.
Diminish
Make or become less.
The storm gradually diminished in intensity.
Decline
Become smaller, fewer, or less; decrease.
The company's profits have declined over the past year.
Lower
Cause to become smaller or less in amount, degree, or value.
Plans to lower the cost of healthcare are underway.
Lessen
Make or become smaller or fewer in size, amount, intensity, or degree.
To lessen the risk of illness, eat a balanced diet.
Contract
Decrease in size, number, or range.
The economy contracted due to the global crisis.
Dwindle
Diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength.
The community's resources dwindled during the long drought.
Drop
Fall or decrease in number, amount, intensity, or quality.
There was a significant drop in temperature overnight.
Shrink
Become or make smaller in size or amount.
The company has shrunk its workforce in response to the economic downturn.
Taper off
Gradually lessen or reduce in thickness, amount, or intensity towards one end.
The rain began to taper off by the afternoon.
Decrease Idioms & Phrases
Decrease the risk
To lower the chance or probability of a negative outcome.
Regular exercise can help decrease the risk of heart disease.
Decrease in numbers
To reduce in quantity or amount.
The species has started to decrease in numbers due to habitat loss.
Decrease the pressure
To reduce stress or strain in a given situation.
Taking breaks during work can help decrease the pressure.
Decrease in value
To reduce or diminish in worth or price.
The car began to decrease in value the moment it was driven off the lot.
Decrease across the board
To reduce in all areas or categories uniformly.
Budget cuts led to a decrease across the board.
Decrease in intensity
To become less strong, severe, or acute.
The storm began to decrease in intensity by late evening.
Decrease in demand
To become less sought after or needed.
The product saw a decrease in demand as newer models were released.
Decrease steadily
To consistently become less over a period.
The company's debts have begun to decrease steadily.
Decrease the tension
To make a situation less stressful or strained.
Dialogue between the parties helped to decrease the tension.
Decrease to a minimum
To reduce something to the lowest possible level or amount.
The company's goal is to decrease waste to a minimum.
Decrease the volume
To lower the sound level of something.
Please decrease the volume of the music; it's too loud.
A sharp decrease
A rapid and significant reduction.
There was a sharp decrease in sales this quarter.
Decrease in scope
To narrow down or limit the range or extent of something.
The investigation's focus saw a decrease in scope as it progressed.
Decrease in popularity
To lose favor or become less popular.
That style of music has seen a decrease in popularity over the years.
Decrease the gap
To reduce the difference or disparity between two things.
Efforts were made to decrease the gap between rich and poor.
Decrease the burden
To lighten the load or make something less heavy or difficult.
The new policy was designed to decrease the burden on small businesses.
Decrease in quality
To diminish in excellence, worth, or character.
There's been a noticeable decrease in quality since the company changed suppliers.
Decrease the likelihood
To make something less probable or likely to occur.
Proper safety measures can decrease the likelihood of accidents.
Decrease in size
To become smaller in physical dimensions.
The tumor began to decrease in size after the treatment.
Gradual decrease
A slow and steady reduction over time.
Patients experienced a gradual decrease in symptoms after treatment.
Decrease Example Sentences
She took steps to decrease her daily expenses.
The company aimed to decrease waste by recycling.
The population of the town has decrease over the years.
The traffic began to decrease as evening approached.
They noticed a decrease in the water level of the lake.
The demand for the product began to decrease.
The new rules helped to decrease the number of accidents.
The decrease in noise was noticeable after the construction ended.
The teacher saw a decrease in student participation.
The temperature will decrease overnight.
He hoped to decrease the time it took to complete the project.
The decrease in speed was due to engine problems.
She was relieved to see a decrease in her workload.
There was a significant decrease in rainfall this year.
The decrease in daylight hours marked the approach of winter.
Common Curiosities
How do we divide decrease into syllables?
Decrease is divided into syllables as de-crease.
How is decrease used in a sentence?
"The company noticed a significant decrease in sales this quarter."
Why is it called decrease?
It is called "decrease" from the Old French "decreistre," meaning "diminish, reduce, lessen," which in turn comes from the Latin "decretum," meaning "fall away, diminish."
What is the verb form of decrease?
The verb form is "decrease," as in "to decrease."
What is a stressed syllable in decrease?
The stressed syllable in "decrease" is "crease" when used as a verb, and "de" when used as a noun.
What is the first form of decrease?
The first form (present tense) is "decrease."
How many syllables are in decrease?
There are two syllables in "decrease."
What is the second form of decrease?
The second form (simple past tense) is "decreased."
What is the third form of decrease?
The third form (past participle) is "decreased."
What is the root word of decrease?
The root word is the Latin "decretum."
What part of speech is decrease?
"Decrease" can be used as both a verb and a noun.
Is decrease a noun or adjective?
"Decrease" is primarily used as a verb and a noun, not as an adjective.
Is decrease a negative or positive word?
"Decrease" is generally considered neutral, but it can have a negative connotation in contexts where growth is expected or desired.
What is the pronunciation of decrease?
As a verb, decrease is pronounced as /dɪˈkriːs/. As a noun, it's pronounced as /ˈdiːkriːs/.
Is decrease an abstract noun?
When used as a noun, "decrease" is an abstract noun, as it represents a concept rather than a physical object.
Is decrease a collective noun?
No, "decrease" is not typically used as a collective noun.
What is the opposite of decrease?
The opposite of "decrease" is "increase."
Is decrease an adverb?
No, "decrease" is not an adverb.
Is decrease a countable noun?
When used as a noun, "decrease" can be countable, as in "several decreases in temperature."
Which determiner is used with decrease?
Determiners such as "a," "the," "this," "that," "every," and "no" can be used with "decrease," depending on the context.
Which preposition is used with decrease?
Prepositions like "in," "of," or "by" can be used with "decrease," depending on the context, e.g., "a decrease in quality," "decrease of temperature," or "decreased by 10%."
What is the plural form of decrease?
The plural form, when used as a noun, is "decreases."
Is decrease a vowel or consonant?
The word "decrease" starts with the consonant "d."
Is the decrease term a metaphor?
"Decrease" can be used metaphorically to describe reductions in non-physical entities, such as interest, value, or enthusiasm.
Is the word decrease imperative?
"Decrease" can be used in the imperative form to give a command, e.g., "Decrease the volume, please."
Is the word decrease Gerund?
The gerund form of "decrease" is "decreasing," which functions as a noun.
Is the word “decrease” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
"Decrease" can serve as a direct object when used as a noun, e.g., "The policy led to a decrease in emissions." It is not typically used as an indirect object.
What is another term for decrease?
Another term for "decrease" is "reduction."
What is the singular form of decrease?
The singular form is "decrease," applicable to both the noun and verb forms.
Which vowel is used before decrease?
The article "a" is used before "decrease" when it functions as a singular noun and starts with a consonant sound.
Which conjunction is used with decrease?
Conjunctions such as "and," "but," or "or" can be used with "decrease" in complex sentences.
Which article is used with decrease?
Both "a" (indefinite) and "the" (definite) can be used with "decrease," depending on whether it's being used in a specific or nonspecific context, e.g., "a decrease in production" or "the decrease in revenue."
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
