Reduce vs. Decrease: Difference and Comparison
Edited by Muazma Batool — By Muneeza Rehman — Updated on October 7, 2023
Reduce means to make something smaller in size, amount, or extent; decrease refers to a lessening or diminution in amount or size.
Difference Between Reduce and Decrease
Reduce and decrease, while often interchangeable, have nuanced distinctions, particularly in terms of context and use. "Reduce" typically implies a deliberate action to bring down quantity, size, or degree, emphasizing intentionality and process. Conversely, "decrease" primarily signifies the result of reduction, often occurring naturally or without direct human intervention, focusing on the outcome of diminishing amounts or values.
Muazma Batool
Sep 21, 2023
In mathematical contexts, "reduce" often involves simplifying expressions or values to their lowest terms, illustrating the process of diminishing complexity. In contrast, "decrease" in mathematics usually signifies a reduction in numerical value, reflecting the diminished magnitude of a certain quantity, and does not necessarily imply simplification.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 21, 2023
In everyday language, "reduce" can imply a strategy or method to lessen something, often relating to abstract concepts like risk or likelihood, indicating a proactive approach to minimize undesired outcomes. "Decrease," on the other hand, is more likely to describe observable reductions in concrete entities like size, number, or amount, highlighting the passive occurrence of lessening.
Muazma Batool
Sep 21, 2023
"Reduce" is also employed in contexts where there is a need to condense or consolidate information, elements, or structures, implying a structured approach to minimize complexity or volume. "Decrease" is more straightforward, referring to the act of becoming smaller or fewer, often used to describe straightforward, observable reductions in measurable entities.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 21, 2023
While both "reduce" and "decrease" portray the concept of lessening, the differentiation lies in "reduce" emphasizing process and intention, and "decrease" accentuating outcome and observability, each with its unique applicability depending on context and intent.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 21, 2023
Reduce vs. Decrease Comparison Chart
Context
Both abstract and concrete contexts
More often in concrete, measurable entities
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Sep 21, 2023
Implication
Often implies deliberate action
Can occur naturally without direct human intervention
Muazma Batool
Sep 21, 2023
Usage in Mathematics
Involves simplifying to lowest terms
Signifies reduction in numerical value
Jonathan
Sep 21, 2023
Application
Strategies or methods to lessen risk or likelihood
Describes observable reductions in size or number
Elijah
Sep 21, 2023
Reduce vs. Decrease Definitions
◉Reduce
Reduce can also mean to bring down to a smaller extent, number, or level.
They plan to reduce the number of employees.
Leo
Sep 21, 2023
◉Decrease
Decrease can also imply a diminution in physical size or extent.
The amount of open land in the area will decrease due to development.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 21, 2023
◉Reduce
In culinary terms, to reduce means to thicken and intensify the flavor of a liquid by boiling it.
The chef allowed the sauce to reduce to achieve a richer flavor.
Henry
Sep 21, 2023
◉Decrease
To decrease is to become or make less in size, quantity, or degree.
The population of the town has continued to decrease.
Muazma Batool
Sep 21, 2023
◉Decrease
In finance, decrease implies a reduction in value or amount.
The company experienced a significant decrease in profits.
Levi
Sep 21, 2023
◉Reduce
To gain control of; subject or conquer
"a design to reduce them under absolute despotism" (Declaration of Independence).
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Decrease
In medical terms, to decrease is to lower the level or amount of something, often related to symptoms or conditions.
The medication helped to decrease the patient's pain.
Muazma Batool
Sep 21, 2023
◉Decrease
To become or cause to become less or smaller, as in number, amount, or intensity.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉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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May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
To compel to desperate acts
The Depression reduced many to begging on street corners.
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May 03, 2023
◉Decrease
(intransitive) Of a quantity, to become smaller.
The quality of our products has decreased since the main designer left.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
To thicken or intensify the flavor of (a sauce, for example) by slow boiling.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Decrease
(transitive) To make (a quantity) smaller.
Let's decrease the volume a little so we can hear each other talking.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
To lower the price of
The store has drastically reduced winter coats.
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May 03, 2023
◉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.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
To decrease the viscosity of (paint, for example), as by adding a solvent.
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May 03, 2023
◉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).
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉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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May 03, 2023
◉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.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉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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May 03, 2023
◉Decrease
A becoming less; gradual diminution; decay; as, a decrease of revenue or of strength.
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May 03, 2023
◉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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May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
To change to a metallic state by removing nonmetallic constituents; smelt.
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May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
(Mathematics) To simplify the form of (an expression, such as a fraction) without changing the value.
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May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
(Medicine) To restore (a fractured or displaced body part) to a normal condition or position.
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May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
(Linguistics) To pronounce (a stressed vowel) as the unstressed version of that vowel or as schwa.
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May 03, 2023
◉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
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Decrease
Decrease refers to the action or process of becoming smaller or fewer.
A decrease in demand leads to lower prices.
Olivia
Sep 21, 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.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
(transitive) To bring to an inferior rank; to degrade, to demote.
to reduce a sergeant to the ranks
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May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
(transitive) To humble; to conquer; to subdue; to capture.
to reduce a province or a fort
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May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
(transitive) To bring to an inferior state or condition.
to reduce a city to ashes
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May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
To decrease the liquid content of food by boiling much of its water off.
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May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
To add electrons / hydrogen or to remove oxygen.
Formaldehyde can be reduced to form methanol.
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May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
To produce metal from ore by removing nonmetallic elements in a smelter.
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May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
To express the solution of a problem in terms of another (known) algorithm.
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May 03, 2023
◉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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May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
To perform a reduction; to restore a fracture or dislocation to the correct alignment.
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May 03, 2023
◉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.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉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.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
To bring to terms; to humble; to conquer; to subdue; to capture; as, to reduce a province or a fort.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉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.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉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.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉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.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉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.
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
cut down on; make a reduction in;
reduce your daily fat intake
The employer wants to cut back health benefits
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
bring to humbler or weaker state or condition;
He reduced the population to slavery
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May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
simplify the form of a mathematical equation of expression by substituting one term for another
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
lower in grade or rank or force somebody into an undignified situation;
She reduced her niece to a servant
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May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
reduce in size; reduce physically;
Hot water will shrink the sweater
Can you shrink this image?
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May 03, 2023
◉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
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉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
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
reduce in scope while retaining essential elements;
The manuscript must be shortened
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May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
be cooked until very little liquid is left;
The sauce should reduce to one cup
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
cook until very little liquid is left;
The cook reduced the sauce by boiling it for a long time
Muneeza Rehman
May 03, 2023
◉Reduce
To reduce is to make something lesser in size, amount, or extent.
The company aims to reduce waste.
Elijah
Sep 21, 2023
◉Reduce
In mathematics, reduce implies simplifying expressions or values to their lowest terms.
You can reduce the fraction 4/8 to 1/2.
Lucas
Sep 21, 2023
◉Reduce
Reduce may refer to diminishing the degree or intensity of something.
Using sunscreen helps to reduce the risk of skin damage.
Muazma Batool
Sep 21, 2023
Reduce vs. Decrease Frequently Asked Questions
Does reduce in cooking imply thickening and intensifying the flavor of a liquid?
Yes, in culinary terms, to reduce means to thicken and intensify the flavor of a liquid by boiling it.
Muazma Batool
Sep 21, 2023
Can reduce apply to both abstract and concrete contexts?
Yes, reduce can apply to both abstract concepts like risk and concrete entities like size or number.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 21, 2023
Is reduce usually a proactive and intentional action?
Yes, reduce usually implies a deliberate action to make something lesser in size, amount, or degree.
Muazma Batool
Sep 21, 2023
Does decrease mainly focus on the outcome of reduction?
Yes, decrease primarily signifies the outcome or result of becoming less or lower in amount, extent, or size.
Muneeza Rehman
Sep 21, 2023
Can decrease refer to the diminishing value in financial terms?
Yes, in financial contexts, decrease can imply a reduction in value or amount.
Elijah
Sep 21, 2023
Is decrease often used in measurable and observable contexts?
Yes, decrease is often used to describe observable and measurable reductions in entities like size, number, or amount.
Leo
Sep 21, 2023
In mathematics, does reduce involve simplifying expressions or values?
Yes, in mathematics, to reduce means to simplify expressions or values to their lowest terms.
Nolan
Sep 21, 2023
Is decrease more straightforward and less complex than reduce?
Yes, decrease is more straightforward, typically referring to the act of becoming smaller or fewer without implying complexity or structured process.
William
Sep 21, 2023
Is the term reduce often associated with strategies to lessen risk or likelihood?
Yes, the term reduce often implies a strategy or method to lessen something like risk or likelihood.
Elijah
Sep 21, 2023
Can decrease occur naturally without direct human intervention?
Yes, decrease can occur naturally, even without direct human intervention, and often does so.
Levi
Sep 21, 2023
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Muneeza RehmanAt Comparisons.wiki, Muneeza skillfully navigates the vast sea of information, ensuring clarity and accuracy as the lead content editor. With a keen eye for detail, she curates every comparison to enlighten and engage readers.
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Muazma BatoolAs a content editor, Muazma Batool is not just a grammar guru but a creative mastermind who breathes life into every word. With an eagle eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, she transforms bland text into engaging content that captivates audiences and drives results.
