View synonyms for reduce

reduce

[ ri-doos, -dyoos ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used with object)

reduced, reducing.

to bring down to a smaller extent, size, amount, number, etc.:
to reduce one's weight by 10 pounds.
Synonyms: abate, attenuate, lessen, retrench, contract, curtail, abridge, shorten, decrease, diminish
Antonyms: increase
to lower in degree, intensity, etc.:
to reduce the speed of a car.
Synonyms: abate, attenuate, lessen
to bring down to a lower rank, dignity, etc.:
a sergeant reduced to a corporal
Synonyms: humble, demote, degrade
Antonyms: exalt, elevate
to treat analytically, as a complex idea.
to lower in price.
to bring to a certain state, condition, arrangement, etc.:
to reduce glass to powder.
to bring under control or authority.
Synonyms: overpower, overcome, vanquish, subject, conquer, subjugate, subdue
Cooking. to evaporate water from (a sauce, soup, or other liquid), usually by boiling.
Photography. to lessen the density of (an exposed negative).
to adjust or correct by making allowances, as an astronomical observation.
Mathematics. to change the denomination or form, but not the value, of (a fraction, polynomial, etc.).
Chemistry.
1. to add electrons to.
2. to deoxidize.
3. to add hydrogen to.
4. to change (a compound) so that the valence of the positive element is lower.
Chemistry, Metallurgy. to bring into the metallic state by separating from nonmetallic constituents.
to thin or dilute:
to reduce paint with oil or turpentine.
to lower the alcoholic concentration of (spirits) by diluting with water.
Surgery. to restore to the normal place, relation, or condition, as a fractured bone.
Phonetics. to modify the quality of (a speech sound) to one of lesser distinctiveness, especially to pronounce (an unstressed vowel) as (ə) or another centralized vowel, as in the unstressed syllables of medicinal.

verb (used without object)

reduced, reducing.

to become reduced.
to become lessened, especially in weight.
to be turned into or made to equal something:
All our difficulties reduce to financial problems.
Cell Biology. to undergo meiosis.

reduce

/ rɪˈdjuːs /

verb

also intr to make or become smaller in size, number, extent, degree, intensity, etc
to bring into a certain state, condition, etc
to reduce someone to despair
to reduce a forest to ashes
also intr to make or become slimmer; lose or cause to lose excess weight
to impoverish (esp in the phrase in reduced circumstances )
to bring into a state of submission to one's authority; subjugate
the whole country was reduced after three months
to bring down the price of (a commodity)
the shirt was reduced in the sale
to lower the rank or status of; demote
reduced to the ranks
he was reduced from corporal to private
to set out systematically as an aid to understanding; simplify
his theories have been reduced in a popular treatise
maths to modify or simplify the form of (an expression or equation), esp by substitution of one term by another
cookery to make (a sauce, stock, etc) more concentrated by boiling away some of the water in it
to thin out (paint) by adding oil, turpentine, etc; dilute
also intr chem
1. to undergo or cause to undergo a chemical reaction with hydrogen or formation of a hydride
2. to lose or cause to lose oxygen atoms
3. to undergo or cause to undergo an increase in the number of electrons Compare oxidize
photog to lessen the density of (a negative or print) by converting some of the blackened silver in the emulsion to soluble silver compounds by an oxidation process using a photographic reducer
surgery to manipulate or reposition (a broken or displaced bone, organ, or part) back to its normal site
also intr biology to undergo or cause to undergo meiosis

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Derived Forms

reˌduciˈbility, noun
reˈducible, adjective
reˈducibly, adverb

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Other Words From

anti·re·ducing adjective noun
nonre·ducing adjective
over·re·duce verb overreduced overreducing

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Word History and Origins

Origin of reduce¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English reducen “to lead back,” from Latin redūcere “to lead back, bring back,” equivalent to re- re- + dūcere “to lead”

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Word History and Origins

Origin of reduce¹

C14: from Latin redūcere to bring back, from re- + dūcere to lead

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Example Sentences

Cumming and the producers know they’re playing with people who love being the center of attention and love winning — and manipulate their pridefulness to reduce them to wrecks.

From Salon

"The people running this trade are only interested in the amount of money that they can make, and if you can break that model, you can reduce that organized crime."

From BBC

One approach, they said, is to restore natural floodplains to absorb high flows from flashier storms, reducing flood risks while also recharging groundwater.

From Los Angeles Times

She stressed that both wings of the party were aligned in their aim to reduce poverty.

From BBC

He drastically reduced U.S. military aid to those countries and blocked their access to some international loans.

From Los Angeles Times