## Meanings
1. To become smaller in amount, size, or number.
2. To make something smaller in amount or number.
3. A reduction in amount, size, or number.

## Examples
- The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester.
- They decreased the staff because of budget problems.
- The company reported a slight decrease in sales last year.

## Synonyms
- cut
- decrement
- diminish
- fall
- lessen
- lower
- plummet
- plunge
- reduce
- shrink
- sink
- wane

## Antonyms
- gain
- grow
- increase
- increment
- raise
- rise
- soar
- up

## Derived Forms
- decreasable
- decreaseless
- decreasement
- decreaser
- decreasingly
- non-decreasing
- nondecrease
- nondecreasing
- redecrease
- undecreased
- undecreasing

## Related Forms
- decrescendo
- decretion
- increase

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *ḱer- (grow)
- Root: decresen
- Root: descreistre
- Root: decrescere

## Etymology
From Middle English decresen, alteration of discresen, from Anglo-Norman, Old French descreistre (French: décroître), from Latin decrescere.

## AI Etymology
decrease comes from Middle English decresen, alteration of discresen, from Anglo-Norman, Old French descreistre (French: décroître), from Latin decrescere. The historical chain includes Proto-Indo-European *ḱer- (grow), Middle English decresen, Old French descreistre, Latin decrescere. Current senses include to become smaller in amount, size, or number and to make something smaller in amount or number. English relatives and later formations include decreasable, decreaseless, decreasement, decrescendo, decretion.

## Topics
- Cause, Change & Process

markdown

decrease

Meanings

Thesaurus

Etymology

Topics

External links

Keyboard Shortcuts

General

Send feedback