decrease Meaning & Definition
What Does Decrease Mean?
Decrease is a verb that means to become smaller in size, amount, number, or intensity. It is also used to mean to cause to decrease. As a noun, it means the process of becoming progressively smaller (as in size, amount, number, or intensity).
Decrease: Key Facts
| Part of speech | verb, noun |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /di-ˈkrēs/ |
| Syllables | 2 |
| Synonyms | diminish, diminution and fall |
| Antonyms | growth, increment and step-up |
| Plural | decreases |
| Verb forms | decreases, decreasing, decreased |
Decrease Definition (Verb)
- to become smaller 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 …
- to cause to decrease
decrease the risk of heart disease / trying to decrease our use of fossil fuels
Decrease as a Noun
- the process of becoming progressively smaller (as in size, amount, number, or intensity) : the process of decreasing
a decrease in productivity
- an amount of diminution : reduction
a decrease of 20,000 / saw a 20% decrease in violent crime
Synonyms of Decrease
Antonyms of Decrease
Decrease in a Sentence
The quality of our products has decreased since the main designer left.
Let's decrease the volume a little so we can hear each other talking.
After six years of constant growth, the company reported a slight decrease in sales last year.
One research team has recorded Baishui’s decrease at about 27 meters per year over the last 10 years.
Yearly sales decreased by five percent.
His little remaining strength had been decreasing rapidly for two or three days preceding …
decrease the risk of heart disease
trying to decrease our use of fossil fuels
a decrease in productivity
a decrease of 20,000
saw a 20% decrease in violent crime
workers decreased the volume of water flowing through the pipes in order to prevent an overflow
the force of the wind slowly decreased until the flowers were standing upright again
the average decrease in the price of milk was five cents per gallon
Yearly sales decreased by five percent. / His little remaining strength had been decreasing rapidly for two or three days preceding …
decrease the risk of heart disease / trying to decrease our use of fossil fuels
a decrease of 20,000 / saw a 20% decrease in violent crime
Word Forms & Grammar
de·creased
de·creas·ing
de·creas·ing·ly adverb
decrease
decreased
decreases
decreasing
decreasingly
decrease (third-person singular simple present decreases, present participle decreasing, simple past and past participle decreased)
decrease (countable and uncountable, plural decreases)
Words That Rhyme With Decrease
Origin of Decrease
Origin 1: Middle English decreessen, from Anglo-French decrestre, from Latin decrescere, from de- + crescere to grow crescent
Origin 2: see decrease:1
Origin 3: From Middle English decresen, alteration of discresen, from Anglo-Norman, Old French descreistre (French: décroître), from Latin decrescere.
First Known Use
14th centuryi
14th century
How to Pronounce Decrease
The standard pronunciation of decrease is /di-ˈkrēs/, spoken in 2 syllables, with the main stress on the second syllable (krēs).
Frequently Asked Questions About Decrease
Is decrease a verb or a noun?
Decrease is mainly used as a verb, but it can also be used as a noun.
What is another word for decrease?
Words with a similar meaning to decrease include diminish, diminution and fall. See the full list of decrease synonyms and antonyms.
What is the opposite of decrease?
Antonyms of decrease include growth, increment, step-up and increase.
What is the plural of decrease?
The plural of decrease is decreases.
What is the past tense of decrease?
The past tense of decrease is decreased. The present participle is decreasing.