decrease

1 of 2

verb

de·​crease di-ˈkrēs  ˈdē-ˌkrēs 

decreased; decreasing

intransitive verb

: to grow progressively less (as in size, amount, number, or intensity)

Yearly sales decreased by five percent.

His little remaining strength had been decreasing rapidly for two or three days preceding …

—Charles Dickens

transitive verb

: to cause to decrease

decrease the risk of heart disease

trying to decrease our use of fossil fuels

decreasingly

di-ˈkrē-siŋ-lē 

dē-

adverb

decrease

2 of 2

noun

de·​crease ˈdē-ˌkrēs  di-ˈkrēs 

1

: the process of growing progressively less (as in size, amount, number, or intensity) : the process of decreasing

a decrease in productivity

2

: an amount of diminution : reduction

a decrease of 20,000

saw a 20% decrease in violent crime

Synonyms

Verb

• abate
• de-escalate
• dent
• deplete
• diminish
• downscale
• downsize
• drop
• dwindle
• ease
• knock down
• lessen
• lower
• reduce

Noun

• abatement
• decline
• decrement
• dent
• depletion
• depression
• diminishment
• diminution
• drop
• drop-off
• fall
• falloff
• loss
• reduction
• shrinkage
• step-down

Choose the Right Synonym for decrease

decrease, lessen, diminish, reduce, abate, dwindle mean to grow or make less.

decrease suggests a progressive decline in size, amount, numbers, or intensity.

slowly decreased the amount of pressure

lessen suggests a decline in amount rather than in number.

has been unable to lessen her debt

diminish emphasizes a perceptible loss and implies its subtraction from a total.

his visual acuity has diminished

reduce implies a bringing down or lowering.

you must reduce your caloric intake

abate implies a reducing of something excessive or oppressive in force or amount.

the storm abated

dwindle implies progressive lessening and is applied to things growing visibly smaller.

their provisions dwindled slowly

Examples of decrease in a Sentence

Verb

Sales decreased by five percent this year.

The driver decreased her speed as she approached the curve.

These changes will decrease our expenses.

Noun

Studies report a recent decrease in traffic accidents.

Because of the injury, some decrease in mobility is to be expected.

a decrease of three dollars

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

There are more and more old people around me, and the number of children is decreasing. —Mark Schilling, Variety, 3 Nov. 2024

At Taiwan’s National Development Council, which focuses on economic development, however, a hike in tariffs is not a big threat, according to the government agency’s minister, Chin-Ching Liu, who said Taipei has decreased exports to China from 40 percent to 20 percent. —Brad Dress, The Hill, 2 Nov. 2024

Noun

Gold prices tend to rise in anticipation of a conflict, but when action takes place, the price remains the same or decreases. —Sanford Mann, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024

The difference between getting a good night’s sleep and a bad one is a decrease from 100% to 60% in the brain's ability to retain new facts. —Dr. Peter H. Diamandis, TIME, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb and Noun

Middle English decreessen, from Anglo-French decrestre, from Latin decrescere, from de- + crescere to grow — more at crescent

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing decrease

• on the decrease

Kids Definition

decrease

1 of 2 verb

de·​crease di-ˈkrēs  ˈdē-ˌkrēs 

decreased; decreasing

: to make or become smaller

decrease speed

decrease 6 by 2

decrease

2 of 2 noun

de·​crease ˈdē-ˌkrēs  di-ˈkrēs 

1

: a process of decreasing

a decrease in accidents

2

: the amount by which a thing decreases

a decrease of three dollars