Decreasing — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /di-ˈkrēs/ de·crease

Meaning & Definition of Decreasing

Decreasing (verb)

  1. to become smaller in size, amount, number, or intensity
  2. to cause to decrease

Decreasing (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in shrinking, lessening

    similar: diminishing, lessening, reducing, shortening, shrinking, abbreviation, abridgment, compression, condensation, contraction, curtailment, abruptness, brusqueness, curtness, brevity, briefness, conciseness, shortness, compendiousness, crispness, laconism, pithiness, succinctness, tautness, terseness, littleness, minuteness, smallness, tininess
    opposite: lengthiness, extensiveness, elongating, elongation, extending, extension, prolongation, prolonging, protraction, stretching, expansion, growth, spread, diffuseness, garrulousness, long-windedness, prolixity, talkativeness, talkiness, verboseness, volubility, wordiness, bigness, bulkiness, greatness, heftiness, largeness

Decreasing (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent

    "workers decreased the volume of water flowing through the pipes in order to prevent an overflow"

    similar: abating, de-escalating, denting, depleting, diminishing, downscaling, downsizing, dropping, dwindling, easing, knocking down, lessening, lowering, reducing
    related: compressing, condensing, constricting, contracting, abbreviating, abridging, clipping, cropping, curtailing, cutting, cutting back, cutting down, docking, nicking, paring, pruning, retrenching, shortening, slashing, trimming, truncating, whittling, deflating, shrinking, minimizing, moderating, modifying, modulating, qualifying
    opposite: aggrandizing, amplifying, augmenting, boosting, enlarging, escalating, expanding, increasing, raising
    near: blowing up, dilating, distending, inflating, swelling, elongating, extending, lengthening, prolonging, protracting, adding (to), complementing, supplementing, enhancing, heightening, intensifying, redoubling

  2. to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

    "the force of the wind slowly decreased until the flowers were standing upright again"

    similar: abating, declining, de-escalating, diminishing, draining (away), dropping (off), dwindling, dying (away or down or out), easing, ebbing, falling, falling away, lessening, letting up, lowering, moderating, palling, phasing down, ratcheting (down), receding, relenting, remitting, shrinking, subsiding, tapering, tapering off, waning
    related: compressing, condensing, constricting, contracting, evaporating, fading (away), frittering (away), giving out, melting (away), petering (out), tailing (off), vanishing, slackening, slowing (down), alleviating, relaxing, flagging, sinking, weakening, caving (in), collapsing, deflating
    opposite: accumulating, ballooning, building, burgeoning, enlarging, escalating, expanding, growing, increasing, intensifying, mounting, mushrooming, picking up, rising, snowballing, soaring, swelling, waxing
    near: appearing, emerging, showing up, blowing up, distending, elongating, lengthening

Related Entry: Decrease (verb)

Decrease is a different word from Decreasing. The synonyms below are for decrease, not for decreasing.

  1. to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent

    "workers decreased the volume of water flowing through the pipes in order to prevent an overflow"

    similar: abate, de-escalate, dent, deplete, diminish, downscale, downsize, drop, dwindle, ease, knock down, lessen, lower, reduce
    related: compress, condense, constrict, contract, abbreviate, abridge, clip, crop, curtail, cut, cut back, cut down, dock, nick, pare, prune, retrench, shorten, slash, trim, truncate, whittle, deflate, shrink, minimize, moderate, modify, modulate, qualify
    opposite: aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, enlarge, escalate, expand, increase, raise
    near: blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, swell, elongate, extend, lengthen, prolong, protract, add (to), complement, supplement, enhance, heighten, intensify, redouble

  2. to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

    "the force of the wind slowly decreased until the flowers were standing upright again"

    similar: abate, decline, de-escalate, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, lessen, let up, lower, moderate, pall, phase down, ratchet (down), recede, relent, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, wane
    related: compress, condense, constrict, contract, evaporate, fade (away), fritter (away), give out, melt (away), peter (out), tail (off), vanish, slacken, slow (down), alleviate, relax, flag, sink, weaken, cave (in), collapse, deflate
    opposite: accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mount, mushroom, pick up, rise, snowball, soar, swell, wax
    near: appear, emerge, show up, blow up, distend, elongate, lengthen

Related Entry: Decreasing (in) (verb)

Decreasing (in) is a different word from Decreasing. The synonyms below are for decreasing (in), not for decreasing.

  1. as in losing

    similar: losing, abating, declining (in), diminishing (in), dipping, dwindling, falling (in), lessening, tapering, tapering off
    opposite: building up, gaining, gathering, growing (in), picking up, doubling (in), tripling (in), accruing, accumulating, amassing

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Decreasing

The most common words with a similar meaning to Decreasing:

diminishing, lessening, reducing, shortening, shrinking, abbreviation, abridgment, compression, condensation, contraction, curtailment, abruptness, brusqueness, curtness, brevity, briefness, conciseness, shortness, compendiousness, crispness, laconism, pithiness, succinctness, tautness, terseness, littleness, minuteness, smallness, tininess, abating, de-escalating, denting, depleting, downscaling, downsizing, dropping, dwindling, easing, knocking down, lowering

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Decreasing

Words with the opposite meaning of Decreasing:

lengthiness, extensiveness, elongating, elongation, extending, extension, prolongation, prolonging, protraction, stretching, expansion, growth, spread, diffuseness, garrulousness, long-windedness, prolixity, talkativeness, talkiness, verboseness, volubility, wordiness, bigness, bulkiness, greatness, heftiness, largeness, aggrandizing, amplifying, augmenting

Related Words for Decreasing

compressing, condensing, constricting, contracting, abbreviating, abridging, clipping, cropping, curtailing, cutting, cutting back, cutting down, docking, nicking, paring, pruning, retrenching, slashing, trimming, truncating, whittling, deflating, minimizing, modifying, modulating, qualifying, evaporating, fading (away), frittering (away), giving out

Near Antonyms of Decreasing

blowing up, dilating, distending, inflating, lengthening, protracting, adding (to), complementing, supplementing, enhancing, heightening, redoubling, appearing, emerging, showing up

Word Forms of Decreasing

Inflections: decreased

Derived words: decreasingly (adverb)

Origin & Etymology of Decreasing

Middle English decreessen, from Anglo-French decrestre, from Latin decrescere, from de- + crescere to grow crescent

First known use: 14th centuryi

Frequently Asked Questions about Decreasing

What does "Decreasing" mean?

"Decreasing" means to become smaller in size, amount, number, or intensity. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to become smaller in size, amount, number, or intensity. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Decreasing"?

Other words for "Decreasing" include diminishing, lessening, reducing, shortening, shrinking, abbreviation, abridgment and compression. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Decreasing" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Decreasing"?

There are 102 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Decreasing". Common alternatives include diminishing, lessening, reducing, shortening, shrinking, abbreviation, abridgment, compression, condensation and contraction.

What is the opposite of "Decreasing"?

Antonyms of "Decreasing" include lengthiness, extensiveness, elongating, elongation, extending, extension, prolongation and prolonging. Near antonyms include blowing up, dilating, distending and inflating.

How do you use "Decreasing" in a sentence?

Examples of "Decreasing" in a sentence: "workers decreased the volume of water flowing through the pipes in order to prevent an overflow"; "the force of the wind slowly decreased until the flowers were standing upright again".

Is "Decreasing" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Decreasing" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Decreasing"?

"Decreasing" is pronounced /di-ˈkrēs/ and divided into syllables as de·crease.

What is the origin of the word "Decreasing"?

"Decreasing" comes from Middle English decreessen, from Anglo-French decrestre, from Latin decrescere, from de- + crescere to grow crescent. First known use: 14th centuryi.