Learning / English Dictionary

DECREASE

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of decreasing or reducing something

Synonyms:

decrease; diminution; reduction; step-down

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("decrease" is a kind of...):

change of magnitude (the act of changing the amount or size of something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "decrease"):

tax credit (a direct reduction in tax liability (not dependent on the taxpayer's tax bracket))

shelter; tax shelter (a way of organizing business to reduce the taxes it must pay on current earnings)

declassification (reduction or removal by the government of restrictions on a classified document or weapon)

amortisation; amortization (the reduction of the value of an asset by prorating its cost over a period of years)

reverse split; reverse stock split; split down (a decrease in the number of outstanding shares of a corporation without changing the shareholders' equity)

contraction (the act of decreasing (something) in size or volume or quantity or scope)

depreciation (a decrease in price or value)

weakening (the act of reducing the strength of something)

rollback (reducing prices back to some earlier level)

deduction; discount; price reduction (the act of reducing the selling price of merchandise)

deflation (the act of letting the air out of something)

deduction; subtraction (the act of subtracting (removing a part from the whole))

shrinking (the act of becoming less)

shortening (act of decreasing in length)

depletion (the act of decreasing something markedly)

minimisation; minimization (the act of reducing something to the least possible amount or degree or position)

de-escalation ((war) a reduction in intensity (of a crisis or a war))

alleviation; easement; easing; relief (the act of reducing something unpleasant (as pain or annoyance))

extenuation; mitigation; palliation (to act in such a way as to cause an offense to seem less serious)

devitalisation; devitalization (the act of reducing the vitality of something)

devaluation (the reduction of something's value or worth)

cutback (a reduction in quantity or rate)

lowering (the act of causing to become less)

mitigation; moderation (the action of lessening in severity or intensity)

cut (the act of reducing the amount or number)

Antonym:

increase (the act of increasing something)

Derivation:

decrease (decrease in size, extent, or range)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The amount by which something decreases

Synonyms:

decrease; decrement

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("decrease" is a kind of...):

amount (the relative magnitude of something with reference to a criterion)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "decrease"):

shrinkage (the amount by which something shrinks)

dip; drop; fall; free fall (a sudden sharp decrease in some quantity)

Antonym:

increase (the amount by which something increases)

Derivation:

decrease (decrease in size, extent, or range)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A change downward

Example:

there was a sharp drop-off in sales

Synonyms:

decrease; drop-off; lessening

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Hypernyms ("decrease" is a kind of...):

alteration; change; modification (an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "decrease"):

shrinkage; shrinking (process or result of becoming less or smaller)

casualty (a decrease of military personnel or equipment)

sinking (a slow fall or decline (as for lack of strength))

attrition (a wearing down to weaken or destroy)

dwindling; dwindling away (a becoming gradually less)

waning (a gradual decrease in magnitude or extent)

Antonym:

increase (a change resulting in an increase)

Derivation:

decrease (decrease in size, extent, or range)

decrease (make smaller)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A process of becoming smaller or shorter

Synonyms:

decrease; decrement

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Hypernyms ("decrease" is a kind of...):

physical process; process (a sustained phenomenon or one marked by gradual changes through a series of states)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "decrease"):

wastage (the process of wasting)

slippage (a decrease of transmitted power in a mechanical system caused by slipping)

narrowing (a decrease in width)

desensitisation; desensitization (the process of reducing sensitivity)

decline; diminution (change toward something smaller or lower)

decay; decline (a gradual decrease; as of stored charge or current)

Antonym:

increase (a process of becoming larger or longer or more numerous or more important)

Derivation:

decrease (decrease in size, extent, or range)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Decrease in size, extent, or range

Example:

his voice fell to a whisper

Synonyms:

decrease; diminish; fall; lessen

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "decrease" is one way to...):

change magnitude (change in size or magnitude)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "decrease"):

decrescendo (grow quieter)

decelerate; retard; slow; slow down; slow up (lose velocity; move more slowly)

wane (become smaller)

wane (decrease in phase)

decline; go down; wane (grow smaller)

thin out (become sparser)

shorten (become short or shorter)

depreciate; devaluate; devalue; undervalue (lose in value)

de-escalate (diminish in size, scope, or intensity)

remit (diminish or abate)

dwindle; dwindle away; dwindle down (become smaller or lose substance)

deflate (become deflated or flaccid, as by losing air)

break (diminish or discontinue abruptly)

shrink; shrivel (decrease in size, range, or extent)

taper (diminish gradually)

drop off (fall or diminish)

fly; vanish; vaporize (decrease rapidly and disappear)

break (fall sharply)

ease off; ease up; flag; slacken off (become less intense)

weaken (become weaker)

boil down; concentrate; decoct; reduce (be cooked until very little liquid is left)

contract; shrink (become smaller or draw together)

shrink; shrivel; shrivel up; wither (wither, as with a loss of moisture)

abate; die away; let up; slack; slack off (become less in amount or intensity)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s

Antonym:

increase (become bigger or greater in amount)

Derivation:

decrease (the act of decreasing or reducing something)

decrease (the amount by which something decreases)

decrease (a change downward)

decrease (a process of becoming smaller or shorter)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Make smaller

Example:

He decreased his staff

Synonyms:

decrease; lessen; minify

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Hypernyms (to "decrease" is one way to...):

alter; change; modify (cause to change; make different; cause a transformation)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "decrease"):

belittle; diminish (lessen the authority, dignity, or reputation of)

relax; slack; slack up; slacken (make less active or fast)

cut (have a reducing effect)

bring down; cut; cut back; cut down; reduce; trim; trim back; trim down (cut down on; make a reduction in)

minimise; minimize (make small or insignificant)

de-escalate; step down; weaken (reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of)

lour; lower; turn down (make lower or quieter)

abate; slack; slake (make less active or intense)

abbreviate; abridge; contract; cut; foreshorten; reduce; shorten (reduce in scope while retaining essential elements)

reduce; shrink (reduce in size; reduce physically)

boil down; concentrate; reduce (cook until very little liquid is left)

circumscribe; confine to; limit (restrict or confine within limits)

pare; pare down (decrease gradually or bit by bit)

mitigate (make less severe or harsh)

suppress (lessen to the point of stopping)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Antonym:

increase (make bigger or more)

Derivation:

decrease (a change downward)

Credits

 Context examples: 

The team found that although oxygen slightly decreased power generation, the effect was minimal.

(New Type of Battery Created from Paper, Fueled by Bacteria, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

This prevents the breakdown of larger carbohydrates into glucose and decreases the rise in postprandial blood glucose levels.

(Acarbose, NCI Thesaurus)

This agent functions as an estrogen agonist in lipid metabolism, thereby decreasing total and LDL cholesterol levels.

(Acolbifene hydrochloride, NCI Thesaurus)

Sudden and sustained deterioration of the kidney function characterized by decreased glomerular filtration rate, increased serum creatinine or oliguria.

(Acute Renal Failure, NCI Thesaurus)

Unlike traditional nonselective NSAIDs, meloxicam preferentially inhibits the activity of cyclo-oxygenase II (COX-II), resulting in a decreased conversion of arachidonic acid into prostaglandin precursors.

(Meloxicam, NCI Thesaurus)

In addition, MCP decreases prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels and may remove heavy metals.

(Modified Citrus Pectin Supplement, NCI Thesaurus)

This agent may also downregulate lymphangiogenesis, resulting in decreased lymphatic system-related metastasis.

(MMI270, NCI Thesaurus)

Monoclonal antibody 2A11 has been shown to decrease the growth of SCLC cells in vitro and in animal models.

(Monoclonal Antibody 2A11, NCI Thesaurus)

His daughter attended him with the greatest tenderness, but she saw with despair that their little fund was rapidly decreasing and that there was no other prospect of support.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

Our mares laid themselves out gallantly, and the distance between us began slowly to decrease.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)