decrease

Formsdecreases, decreasing, decreased

Pluraldecreases

1. 1
   verbintransitive

   To become smaller in number or amount.

   Like a balloon slowly getting smaller as air leaks out.

   Prices decrease when there is too much of something to sell.

   The number of birds began to decrease last winter.

   Similarfall, drop, decline, diminish, dwindle

   Oppositeincrease, rise, grow

   Note
2. 2
   verbtransitive

   To make something smaller in number or amount.

   Like turning down the volume to make a sound quieter.

   The new rules decrease the time you spend waiting in line.

   Drinking more water can decrease your chance of headaches.

   Similarreduce, lower, cut, lessen, diminish

   Oppositeincrease, raise, boost

3. 3
   nouncountable

   A drop in the size, number, or amount of something.

   Like the water level in a tank dropping lower and lower.

   There was a big decrease in the number of visitors this year.

   Doctors noticed a steady decrease in the patient's fever.

   Similarreduction, drop, fall, decline, cut

   Oppositeincrease, rise, growth

   Note
4. 4
   nouncountable

   A way of making fewer stitches in knitting, often by joining two stitches into one.

   Like gathering two strings into a single knot so the row gets shorter.

   Knit a decrease at each end of the row to shape the sleeve.

   The pattern calls for a decrease every fourth row.

   Oppositeincrease

   Note

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