decrease

noun

An amount by which a quantity decreases or is decreased.

(knitting, crochet) A reduction in the number of stitches, usually accomplished by suspending the stitch to be decreased from another existing stitch or by knitting it together with another stitch. See Decrease (knitting).

verb

(intransitive) Of a quantity, to become smaller.

(transitive) To make (a quantity) smaller.

Roots

crescerecreas- · Latin · grow

Synonyms for decrease

diminutionn lesseningn diminishv reductionn decrementn increasen reducev dwindlev loweringn declinen shrinkingn falln shrinkagen curtailmentn abatementn curtailv abatev

Synonyms & related words for decrease

Find synonyms, related words, and the definition of decrease — including diminution, lessening, diminish, reduction, decrement, increase. Dendril is a free visual thesaurus that shows them on an interactive map where stronger matches sit closer to the center — no signup, no ads.

Words related to decrease

Explore words related to decrease — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include detractive, diminishment, minify, diminishable, minimized, allargando, lessens, decremental. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for decrease

Common synonyms for decrease include diminution, lessening, diminish, reduction, decrement, increase, reduce, dwindle — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.

Where does decrease come from?

The word decrease breaks down into one root of Latin origin: the root creas-, from Latin crescere (“grow”). Explore each root to see other English words built from the same source.