| means | (verb) decrease in size, extent, or range; "The amount of homework decreased towards the end of the semester"; "The cabin pressure fell dramatically"; "her weight fell to under a hundred pounds"; "his voice fell to a whisper"
fall, decrease, diminish, lessen |
| means | (verb) make shorter than originally intended; reduce or retrench in length or duration; "He shortened his trip due to illness"
shorten |
| means | (verb) make smaller; "He decreased his staff"
lessen, minify, decrease |
| means | (verb) become less in amount or intensity; "The storm abated"; "The rain let up after a few hours"
slack off, slack, let up, abate, die away |
| means | (verb) become smaller or lose substance; "Her savings dwindled down"
dwindle, dwindle down, dwindle away |
| means | (verb) become smaller; "Interest in his novels waned"
wane |
| means | (verb) grow smaller; "Interest in the project waned"
wane, decline, go down |
| means | (verb) decrease in phase; "the moon is waning"
wane |
| means | (verb) become smaller or draw together; "The fabric shrank"; "The balloon shrank"
shrink, contract |
| means | (verb) become short or shorter; "In winter, the days shorten"
shorten |
| means | (verb) make less severe or harsh; "mitigating circumstances"
mitigate |
| means | (verb) lessen the authority, dignity, or reputation of; "don't belittle your colleagues"
belittle, diminish |
| means | (verb) make less active or intense
slake, slack, abate |
| means | (verb) take away a part from; diminish; "His bad manners detract from his good character"
detract, take away |
| means | (verb) reduce the level or intensity or size or scope of; "de-escalate a crisis"
step down, weaken, de-escalate |
| means | (verb) cut down on; make a reduction in; "reduce your daily fat intake"; "The employer wants to cut back health benefits"
trim, cut down, cut, cut back, reduce, trim back, trim down, bring down |
| means | (verb) make small or insignificant; "Let's minimize the risk"
minimise, minimize |
| means | (verb) use up (resources or materials); "this car consumes a lot of gas"; "We exhausted our savings"; "They run through 20 bottles of wine a week"
deplete, wipe out, run through, exhaust, use up, eat, eat up, consume |
| means | (verb) make a reduction, as in one's workforce; "The company had to retrench"
retrench |
| means | (verb) be cooked until very little liquid is left; "The sauce should reduce to one cup"
decoct, reduce, concentrate, boil down |
| means | (verb) reduce in scope while retaining essential elements; "The manuscript must be shortened"
shorten, reduce, abbreviate, contract, abridge, cut, foreshorten |
| means | (verb) lessen or to try to lessen the seriousness or extent of; "The circumstances extenuate the crime"
palliate, extenuate, mitigate |
| means | (verb) cook until very little liquid is left; "The cook reduced the sauce by boiling it for a long time"
reduce, boil down, concentrate |
| means | (verb) reduce in size; reduce physically; "Hot water will shrink the sweater"; "Can you shrink this image?"
reduce, shrink |
| means | (verb) wear off or die down; "The pain subsided"
subside, lessen |
| means | (verb) cause to seem less serious; play down; "Don't belittle his influence"
derogate, belittle, minimize, denigrate |
| means | (verb) provide physical relief, as from pain; "This pill will relieve your headaches"
assuage, palliate, alleviate, relieve |
| means | (verb) make short or shorter; "shorten the skirt"; "shorten the rope by a few inches"
shorten |
| means | (verb) represent as less significant or important
minimise, downplay, minimize, understate |
| means | (verb) cause to drop or sink; "The lack of rain had depressed the water level in the reservoir"
lower, depress |