decrease

B1 Topic:Cause, Change & Process

US /dɪˈkɹiːs/ See IPA manual

noun verb Freq #18075

Meanings

1

verb
To become smaller in amount, size, or number.

The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester.
2

verb
To make something smaller in amount or number.

They decreased the staff because of budget problems.
3

noun
A reduction in amount, size, or number.

The company reported a slight decrease in sales last year.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to become smaller in... fall drop

2 verb · to make something smaller... reduce lessen

3 noun · a reduction in amount,... reduction decline drop

More cut decrement diminish lower plummet plunge shrink sink wane

Opposites

gain grow increase increment raise rise soar up

Word family

Forms decreaseddecreasesdecreasing

Derived forms decreasabledecreaselessdecreasementdecreaserdecreasinglynon-decreasingnondecreasenondecreasingredecreaseundecreasedundecreasing

Related forms decrescendodecretionincrease

Etymology

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

*ḱer- (grow) Proto-Indo-European decresen Middle English descreistre Old French decrescere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Cause, Change & Process

# decrease

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun, verb
**IPA (US):** dɪˈkɹiːs
**Frequency rank:** 18075

## 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

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decrease

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