decrease
Of a quantity, to become smaller.
Verb 2 meanings
Of a quantity, to become smaller.
“The quality of our products has decreased since the main designer left.”
To make (a quantity) smaller.
“Let's decrease the volume a little so we can hear each other talking.”
Noun 2 meanings
An amount by which a quantity decreases or is decreased.
“After six years of constant growth, the company reported a slight decrease in sales last year.”
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).
Etymology
From Middle English decresen, alteration of discresen, from Anglo-Norman, Old French descreistre (French: décroître), from Latin decrescere.
Similar and opposite words
DECREASE at a glance
DECREASE has 8 letters and scores 11 points in Scrabble (D 2 + E 1 + C 3 + R 1 + E 1 + A 1 + S 1 + E 1) and 12 in Words With Friends, before board bonuses. It ranks #5,316 by how often it appears in everyday English. It is valid in ENABLE, NWL2023, Collins/SOWPODS.
Rhymes with decrease
All rhymesOne letter away
- DEGREASE10
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