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decrease
This word focuses on the quantitative aspect of reduction. It is a neutral, clinical term often found in scientific reports, financial statements, or mathematical contexts to describe a downward trend. It implies a measurable change rather than a sudden disappearance.
While a decline can suggest a loss of quality or a moral fall, a decrease is strictly about the volume or number. It carries a sense of precision and objectivity, making it the standard choice for data-driven observations.
Countable when referring to a specific instance of reduction (a decrease in price). Uncountable when referring to the general process of becoming smaller.
Meanings
To become smaller in size, amount, number, or intensity.
The population of the village began to decrease after the factory closed.
Examples
Prices decrease today.
We must implement strategies to decrease operational overhead immediately.
Phrasal Verbs
decrease by
to be reduced by a specific amount or degree
The temperature is expected to decrease by five degrees overnight.