Reduce vs. Decrease: What's the Difference?
Edited by Sumera Saeed || By Sawaira Riaz || Updated on October 2, 2023
Reduce means to make something smaller in size, amount, or extent, usually with intent, while decrease refers to the process of diminishing in size, amount, or extent, possibly without intent.
Key Differences
Reduce and decrease, while similar, imply subtle variations in their usage and context. The term reduce often involves an element of intent or deliberate action, often denoting an active effort to bring down the quantity, size, or degree of something. It can also carry a broader sense, referring to simplifying or breaking down into components. On the other hand, decrease typically describes the process or result of diminishing and may not necessarily involve intentional action. It can occur naturally or as a result of other influences and generally signifies a reduction in size, amount, number, or extent.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
In application, when one chooses to reduce waste, it implies a conscious effort to limit waste production, which might involve recycling or using fewer resources. Conversely, when we observe that daylight hours decrease in winter, we are describing a natural, cyclical, and unintentional process of reduction in the amount of daylight. Here, decrease denotes a phenomenon occurring without direct human intervention or deliberation, highlighting its more passive or observational nature.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Speaking about their connotations, reduce tends to reflect more on the actions or processes that lead to a lesser amount or size, and it often emphasizes the methodology or approach utilized to achieve a smaller quantity or degree. In contrast, decrease is more focused on the outcome or the state of being reduced and is less concerned with the methods or actions leading to such a state, making it a more neutral and descriptive term.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
These words are versatile and can be used in various contexts, be it mathematical, scientific, or everyday language. In mathematics, to reduce a fraction means to simplify it to its lowest terms, highlighting a process or action. To say a value decreases in mathematics simply illustrates that the value is getting smaller, reflecting a state or condition.
Harlon Moss
Oct 02, 2023
From a grammatical perspective, both words can be used as verbs, and decrease can also be used as a noun, referring to the process or amount by which something gets smaller. Reduce often emphasizes action and process, while decrease emphasizes state and result.
Janet White
Oct 02, 2023
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Comparison Chart
Intentionality
Often implies intent and deliberate action
May occur naturally or unintentionally
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Oct 02, 2023
Focus
More on process and action leading to a smaller state
More on the result or the smaller state itself
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Oct 02, 2023
Usage
Broader, can refer to simplification or breaking down
Generally signifies a reduction in size, amount, or number
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
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Reduce and Decrease Definitions
Reduce
To bring to a weaker or more difficult condition.
The illness had reduced him to a shadow of his former self.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Decrease
The process of diminishing or the amount by which something is lessened.
There was a decrease in sales last month.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Reduce
To decrease the volume, quantity, or degree.
Reduce the sauce by simmering.
Sara Rehman
Oct 02, 2023
Decrease
To reduce the number, extent, or duration of something.
We need to decrease the time spent on unproductive tasks.
Harlon Moss
Oct 02, 2023
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Decrease
To become less or smaller in size, amount, or degree.
Profits have decreased significantly this quarter.
Harlon Moss
Oct 02, 2023
Reduce
To gain control of; subject or conquer
"a design to reduce them under absolute despotism" (Declaration of Independence).
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 04, 2022
Decrease
To make something smaller or less in size, amount, or degree.
We must decrease the amount of waste we produce.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Decrease
To become or cause to become less or smaller, as in number, amount, or intensity.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To bring to a specified undesirable state, as of weakness or helplessness
Disease that reduced the patient to emaciation.
Teasing that reduced the child to tears.
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To compel to desperate acts
The Depression reduced many to begging on street corners.
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Oct 04, 2022
Decrease
(intransitive) Of a quantity, to become smaller.
The quality of our products has decreased since the main designer left.
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To thicken or intensify the flavor of (a sauce, for example) by slow boiling.
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Oct 04, 2022
Decrease
(transitive) To make (a quantity) smaller.
Let's decrease the volume a little so we can hear each other talking.
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Oct 04, 2022
Decrease
An amount by which a quantity is decreased.
After six years of constant growth, the company reported a slight decrease in sales last year.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To decrease the viscosity of (paint, for example), as by adding a solvent.
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Oct 04, 2022
Decrease
(knitting) 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).
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To put in a simpler or more systematic form; simplify or codify
Reduced her ideas to a collection of maxims.
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Oct 04, 2022
Decrease
To grow less, - opposed to increase; to be diminished gradually, in size, degree, number, duration, etc., or in strength, quality, or excellence; as, they days decrease in length from June to December.
He must increase, but I must decrease.
The olive leaf, which certainly them toldThe flood decreased.
Crete's ample fields diminish to our eye;Before the Boreal blasts the vessels fly.
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Oct 04, 2022
Decrease
To cause to grow less; to diminish gradually; as, extravagance decreases one's means.
That might decrease their present store.
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Oct 04, 2022
Decrease
A becoming less; gradual diminution; decay; as, a decrease of revenue or of strength.
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Oct 04, 2022
Decrease
A change downward;
There was a decrease in his temperature as the fever subsided
There was a sharp drop-off in sales
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To change to a metallic state by removing nonmetallic constituents; smelt.
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
(Mathematics) To simplify the form of (an expression, such as a fraction) without changing the value.
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
(Medicine) To restore (a fractured or displaced body part) to a normal condition or position.
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
(Linguistics) To pronounce (a stressed vowel) as the unstressed version of that vowel or as schwa.
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Oct 04, 2022
Decrease
Decrease in size, extent, or range;
The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester
The cabin pressure fell dramatically
Her weight fall to under a hundred pounds
His voice fell to a whisper
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 04, 2022
Decrease
To lower in grade or importance.
A decrease in quality will affect customer satisfaction.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Reduce
(transitive) To bring down the size, quantity, quality, value or intensity of something; to diminish, to lower.
To reduce weight, speed, heat, expenses, price, personnel etc.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
(transitive) To bring to an inferior rank; to degrade, to demote.
To reduce a sergeant to the ranks
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
(transitive) To humble; to conquer; to subdue; to capture.
To reduce a province or a fort
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
(transitive) To bring to an inferior state or condition.
To reduce a city to ashes
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To decrease the liquid content of food by boiling much of its water off.
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To add electrons / hydrogen or to remove oxygen.
Formaldehyde can be reduced to form methanol.
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To produce metal from ore by removing nonmetallic elements in a smelter.
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To express the solution of a problem in terms of another (known) algorithm.
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To convert to written form. (Usage note: this verb almost always appears as "reduce to writing".)
It is important that all business contracts be reduced to writing.
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To perform a reduction; to restore a fracture or dislocation to the correct alignment.
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To bring or lead back to any former place or condition.
And to his brother's house reduced his wife.
The sheep must of necessity be scattered, unless the great Shephered of souls oppose, or some of his delegates reduce and direct us.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To bring to any inferior state, with respect to rank, size, quantity, quality, value, etc.; to diminish; to lower; to degrade; to impair; as, to reduce a sergeant to the ranks; to reduce a drawing; to reduce expenses; to reduce the intensity of heat.
Nothing so excellent but a man may fasten upon something belonging to it, to reduce it.
Having reducedTheir foe to misery beneath their fears.
Hester Prynne was shocked at the condition to which she found the clergyman reduced.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To bring to terms; to humble; to conquer; to subdue; to capture; as, to reduce a province or a fort.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To bring to a certain state or condition by grinding, pounding, kneading, rubbing, etc.; as, to reduce a substance to powder, or to a pasty mass; to reduce fruit, wood, or paper rags, to pulp.
It were but rightAnd equal to reduce me to my dust.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To bring into a certain order, arrangement, classification, etc.; to bring under rules or within certain limits of descriptions and terms adapted to use in computation; as, to reduce animals or vegetables to a class or classes; to reduce a series of observations in astronomy; to reduce language to rules.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To change, as numbers, from one denomination into another without altering their value, or from one denomination into others of the same value; as, to reduce pounds, shillings, and pence to pence, or to reduce pence to pounds; to reduce days and hours to minutes, or minutes to days and hours.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To restore to its proper place or condition, as a displaced organ or part; as, to reduce a dislocation, a fracture, or a hernia.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
Cut down on; make a reduction in;
Reduce your daily fat intake
The employer wants to cut back health benefits
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
Bring to humbler or weaker state or condition;
He reduced the population to slavery
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
Simplify the form of a mathematical equation of expression by substituting one term for another
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
Lower in grade or rank or force somebody into an undignified situation;
She reduced her niece to a servant
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
Reduce in size; reduce physically;
Hot water will shrink the sweater
Can you shrink this image?
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To remove oxygen from a compound, or cause to react with hydrogen or form a hydride, or to undergo an increase in the number of electrons
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
Put down by force or intimidation;
The government quashes any attempt of an uprising
China keeps down her dissidents very efficiently
The rich landowners subjugated the peasants working the land
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
Reduce in scope while retaining essential elements;
The manuscript must be shortened
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
Be cooked until very little liquid is left;
The sauce should reduce to one cup
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Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
Cook until very little liquid is left;
The cook reduced the sauce by boiling it for a long time
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 04, 2022
Reduce
To bring to a simpler or more basic form.
The equation can be reduced to a simpler form.
Sara Rehman
Oct 02, 2023
Reduce
To diminish in size, extent, or range.
The company decided to reduce its range of services.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
FAQs
Can reduce imply a deliberate action?
Yes, reduce often implies a deliberate effort or action to make something smaller or lesser.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Is decrease more passive?
Yes, decrease often describes a process of diminishing that can occur without direct human intervention.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Can both reduce and decrease refer to size, amount, and number?
Yes, both can refer to a diminution in size, amount, or number.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Is reduce broader in context than decrease?
Yes, reduce can have broader applications, including simplification and breaking down into components.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Can decrease also be a noun?
Yes, decrease can be used as both a verb and a noun.
Janet White
Oct 02, 2023
Is decrease more neutral in connotation than reduce?
Yes, decrease generally has a more neutral and descriptive connotation.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Can reduce be used in mathematical contexts?
Yes, in mathematics, reduce is used to denote the simplification of expressions or fractions.
Harlon Moss
Oct 02, 2023
Does reduce emphasize more on methodology?
Yes, reduce often emphasizes the process or approach utilized to achieve a lesser state.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 02, 2023
Can decrease happen unintentionally?
Yes, decrease can occur unintentionally or naturally.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Can the term reduce imply weakening or deteriorating?
Yes, reduce can imply bringing to a weaker or more difficult condition.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Can the term reduce refer to cooking processes?
Yes, reduce is used in cooking to describe the process of decreasing the volume of liquids.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 02, 2023
Can decrease be used to describe natural phenomena?
Yes, decrease can describe natural, cyclical processes like the decrease in daylight hours in winter.
Janet White
Oct 02, 2023
Can reduce imply a reduction in range or variety?
Yes, reduce can imply a decrease in range or variety of services or products.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 02, 2023
Does decrease refer more to the result or outcome?
Yes, decrease is often more focused on the outcome or the smaller state itself.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Does reduce usually involve an agent or a doer?
Often, reduce implies an agent or a person who is making something smaller or lesser.
Sara Rehman
Oct 02, 2023
Is decrease related more to the state or condition?
Yes, decrease is often more about the state or condition of being reduced.
Sara Rehman
Oct 02, 2023
Can decrease refer to quality and importance?
Yes, decrease can refer to a reduction in quality or importance.
Janet White
Oct 02, 2023
Is the term reduce more action-oriented?
Yes, reduce is often more action-oriented, emphasizing effort and activity.
Sawaira Riaz
Oct 02, 2023
Can both reduce and decrease be used in everyday language to describe lessening or diminishing?
Yes, both terms are commonly used to describe the act or process of making something smaller or lesser.
Janet White
Oct 02, 2023
Does the term decrease illustrate observation more than action?
Yes, decrease often illustrates observation and may or may not involve direct action.
Aimie Carlson
Oct 02, 2023
About Author
Written by
Sawaira RiazSawaira is a dedicated content editor at difference.wiki, where she meticulously refines articles to ensure clarity and accuracy. With a keen eye for detail, she upholds the site's commitment to delivering insightful and precise content.
Edited by
Sumera SaeedSumera is an experienced content writer and editor with a niche in comparative analysis. At Diffeence Wiki, she crafts clear and unbiased comparisons to guide readers in making informed decisions. With a dedication to thorough research and quality, Sumera's work stands out in the digital realm. Off the clock, she enjoys reading and exploring diverse cultures.
