1
as in to demote
to bring to a lower grade or rank
was reduced from team captain to team member as punishment for his misbehavior on the court
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to decrease
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent
you'll have to reduce the amount of money you spend on unnecessary purchases if you want to have any money left for retirement
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to lower
to diminish the price or value of
a mortgage crisis that reduced homes to their lowest level in a decade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reduce
Commissioner Rob Manfred originally issued Bauer an unprecedented 324-game suspension, which an independent arbitrator later reduced to 192 games.
—
Alejandro Avila Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2026
But experts warn that reducing US reliance on China, which dominates the industry, could take years.
—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
22 June 2026
Removing excessive suckers can sometimes reduce overall yield, so pruning should be limited to removing diseased or damaged leaves, says Singh.
—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
22 June 2026
Engineers are seeking to improve structural performance while reducing material use and overall weight.
—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for reduce
Alejandro Avila Outkick,
FOXNews.com,
23 June 2026
But experts warn that reducing US reliance on China, which dominates the industry, could take years.
—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
22 June 2026
Removing excessive suckers can sometimes reduce overall yield, so pruning should be limited to removing diseased or damaged leaves, says Singh.
—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
22 June 2026
Engineers are seeking to improve structural performance while reducing material use and overall weight.
—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
22 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for reduce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reduce
Verb
-
Crowley, who was demoted to another position, filed a lawsuit against the city, saying the mayor engaged in a retaliation campaign.
-
With Wells expected back, the Yankees will have to demote one of their incumbent catchers.
Verb
-
Plus, new windows are more energy efficient than old ones, meaning a summer installation can decrease your energy bill now and when temperatures drop in the fall and winter.
-
Doubles players fear for their tennis future after being told by the ATP Tour that prize money and tournament sizes will decrease significantly starting in 2028.
Verb
-
However, price bulls highlight a fragile US-Iran ceasefire and past IEA surplus forecasts that failed to depress prices.
-
The problem is that too many teachers are failing to motivate students, and the peer effect can go both ways, depressing student achievement in places where ambition isn’t valued.
Verb
-
When temperatures rise, heat can quietly degrade pantry staples, making refrigeration essential to preserve quality and flavor.
-
If leaders are not present and actively developing people, the system degrades—quietly at first, then all at once.
Verb
-
The One Big Beautiful Bill also removed a tax on Social Security benefits, depleting another source of the program's revenue.
-
Without significant reform measures from Congress, the widening deficit threatens to deplete the trust funds that finance Social Security in 2032, and Medicare one year later.
Verb
-
Another tip is to keep a small microfiber cloth under the bathroom sink or in a drawer for fast cleaning.
-
Samsung Electronics tumbled more than 7% while SK Hynix sank over 9% at the open, wiping out billions in market value as Asia’s largest chipmakers bore the brunt of the global tech selloff.
Verb
-
Historically, after that period, the chances of survival without a water source diminish rapidly.
-
Prolonged exposure to heat can lead to insufficient or poor sleep, compromising the immune system, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease and diminishing cognitive performance.
Verb
-
In saltwater, conventional signals attenuate between 1 and 10 dB per meter, limiting range to just a few feet.
-
And Lawrence’s early death, following the failure of the Barbados therapy for his tuberculosis, attenuated even that.
Cite this Entry
“Reduce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reduce. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
