decrease
Noun · VerbOpen English WordNet
Verb (2)decreases, decreased, decreasing
- decrease in size, extent, or range“The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester”“The cabin pressure fell dramatically”“her weight fell to under a hundred pounds”“his voice fell to a whisper”Synonyms: diminishlessenfallOpposite increaseMore general change magnitudeMore specific decelerate, dwindle, decline, shrivel, abate, shrink, weaken, ease up, drop off, taper +11 more
- make become smaller“He decreased his staff”Synonyms: lessenminifyOpposite increaseMore general change, alterMore specific reduce, minimize, limit, abridge, shrink, pare, diminish, slack, turn down, de-escalate +4 more
Noun (4)decreases
- a change downward“there was a decrease in his temperature as the fever subsided”“there was a sharp drop-off in sales”Synonyms: lesseningdrop-offOpposite increaseType of change, alterationKinds sinking, dwindling, waning, casualty, shrinking, attrition, rarefaction
- a process of becoming smaller or shorterSynonyms: decrementOpposite incrementType of process, physical processKinds decline, decay, slippage, narrowing, desensitization, wastage
- the amount by which something decreasesSynonyms: decrementOpposite increaseType of amountKinds drop, shrinkage
- the act of decreasing or reducing somethingSynonyms: diminutionreductionstep-downOpposite increaseType of change of magnitudeKinds depreciation, depletion, extenuation, subtraction, discount, easing, rollback, devaluation, tax shelter, shortening +15 more
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Translations
Verb become smaller
Verb make smaller
- Spanish
- mermar
- French
- diminuer
- German
- verringern
- Italian
- diminuire
- Portuguese
- diminuir
- Russian
- уменьша́ть umenʹšátʹ
- Japanese
- 減らす herasu
- Dutch
- verminderen
- Swedish
- minska
- Greek
- μειώνω meióno
The main translation for each meaning, from the langtolang.com multilingual dictionary. Each word links to its full entry there.
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Origin: OE. decrecen, fr. OF. decreistre, F. décroître, or from the OF. noun (see Decrease, noun), fr. L. decrescere to grow less; de + crescere to grow. See Crescent, and cf. Increase.
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.— John iii. 30.
Synonyms: To Decrease, Diminish. Things usually decrease or fall off by degrees, and from within, or through some cause which is imperceptible; as, the flood decreases; the cold decreases; their affection has decreased. Things commonly diminish by an influence from without, or one which is apparent; as, the army was diminished by disease; his property is diminishing through extravagance; their affection has diminished since their separation their separation. The turn of thought, however, is often such that these words may be interchanged.
The olive leaf, which certainly them told The flood decreased.— Michael Drayton
Crete's ample fields diminish to our eye; Before the Boreal blasts the vessels fly.— Alexander Pope
To cause to grow less; to diminish gradually; as, extravagance decreases one's means.
That might decrease their present store.— Matthew Prior
Origin: OE. decrees, OF. decreis, fr. decreistre. See Decrease, verb
1. A becoming less; gradual diminution; decay; as, a decrease of revenue or of strength.
2. The wane of the moon. Francis, Baron Verulam Bacon
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54