Reduce Definition and Meaning
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Published on June 14, 2024
Reduce refers to decrease the size, amount, or extent of something. e.g., We need to reduce expenses to keep the budget under control.
Table of Contents
Reduce Definitions
To make smaller or less in amount.
The store decided to reduce prices to attract more customers.
To lose weight, specifically by dieting.
He is trying to reduce by eating less sugar and more vegetables.
To demote or lower in rank or grade.
The officer was reduced in rank due to misconduct.
To bring someone to a weaker or impoverished state.
After years of economic downturn, the community was reduced to poverty.
To bring down, as in extent, amount, or degree; diminish.
To gain control of; subject or conquer
"a design to reduce them under absolute despotism" (Declaration of Independence).
To subject to destruction
Enemy bombers reduced the city to rubble.
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.
To compel to desperate acts
The Depression reduced many to begging on street corners.
To lower in rank or grade; demote.
To thicken or intensify the flavor of (a sauce, for example) by slow boiling.
To lower the price of
The store has drastically reduced winter coats.
To decrease the viscosity of (paint, for example), as by adding a solvent.
To put in a simpler or more systematic form; simplify or codify
Reduced her ideas to a collection of maxims.
To turn into powder; pulverize.
To decrease the valence of (an atom) by adding electrons.
To remove oxygen from (a compound).
To add hydrogen to (a compound).
To change to a metallic state by removing nonmetallic constituents; smelt.
(Mathematics) To simplify the form of (an expression, such as a fraction) without changing the value.
(Medicine) To restore (a fractured or displaced body part) to a normal condition or position.
(Linguistics) To pronounce (a stressed vowel) as the unstressed version of that vowel or as schwa.
To become diminished.
To lose weight, as by dieting.
(Biology) To undergo meiosis.
(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.
(intransitive) To lose weight.
(transitive) To bring to an inferior rank; to degrade, to demote.
To reduce a sergeant to the ranks
(transitive) To humble; to conquer; to subdue; to capture.
To reduce a province or a fort
(transitive) To bring to an inferior state or condition.
To reduce a city to ashes
To decrease the liquid content of food by boiling much of its water off.
To add electrons / hydrogen or to remove oxygen.
Formaldehyde can be reduced to form methanol.
To produce metal from ore by removing nonmetallic elements in a smelter.
To simplify an equation or formula without changing its value.
To express the solution of a problem in terms of another (known) algorithm.
To convert a syllogism to a clearer or simpler form.
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.
To perform a reduction; to restore a fracture or dislocation to the correct alignment.
To reform a line or column from (a square).
To strike off the payroll.
To annul by legal means.
To translate (a book, document, etc.).
A book reduced into English
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.
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.
To bring to terms; to humble; to conquer; to subdue; to capture; as, to reduce a province or a fort.
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.
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.
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.
To add an electron to an atom or ion.
To restore to its proper place or condition, as a displaced organ or part; as, to reduce a dislocation, a fracture, or a hernia.
Cut down on; make a reduction in;
Reduce your daily fat intake
The employer wants to cut back health benefits
Make less complex;
Reduce a problem to a single question
Bring to humbler or weaker state or condition;
He reduced the population to slavery
Simplify the form of a mathematical equation of expression by substituting one term for another
Lower in grade or rank or force somebody into an undignified situation;
She reduced her niece to a servant
Be the essential element;
The proposal boils down to a compromise
Reduce in size; reduce physically;
Hot water will shrink the sweater
Can you shrink this image?
Lessen and make more modest;
Reduce one's standard of living
Make smaller;
Reduce an image
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
Narrow or limit;
Reduce the influx of foreigners
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
Undergo meiosis;
The cells reduce
Reposition (a broken bone after surgery) back to its normal site
Reduce in scope while retaining essential elements;
The manuscript must be shortened
Be cooked until very little liquid is left;
The sauce should reduce to one cup
Cook until very little liquid is left;
The cook reduced the sauce by boiling it for a long time
Lessen the strength or flavor of a solution or mixture;
Cut bourbon
Take off weight
To bring down to a simpler form or condition.
The complex instructions were reduced to a simple one-page guide.
To decrease the intensity or severity of something.
Medication can reduce the pain associated with the injury.
To convert a substance to a different form through a chemical reaction.
The process is used to reduce iron ore to pure iron.
To summarize or condense a text or document.
She reduced the fifty-page report to a ten-page summary.
To solve a mathematical equation or problem to its simplest form.
The equation can be reduced further for easier solution.
To adjust the settings of an appliance or device to lower levels.
Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees for slow cooking.
Reduce Snonyms
Decrease
To become smaller or fewer in size, amount, intensity, or degree.
They need to decrease the amount of sugar in the recipe.
Diminish
To make or become less.
The storm gradually diminished in strength.
Lower
To reduce in height, intensity, or amount.
Lower the volume on the TV so it’s not so loud.
Downsize
To reduce in size or number, especially in terms of personnel or scale.
The company decided to downsize its workforce to cut costs.
Shrink
To become or make smaller in size or amount.
The sweater shrank after being washed in hot water.
Cut
To reduce in amount or number.
We had to cut our spending by 20%.
Lessen
To make less in amount, degree, or condition.
The pain lessened after taking the medicine.
Contract
To become smaller or narrower, particularly through the effect of heat or cold.
Metals contract as they cool.
Minimize
To reduce to the smallest possible amount or degree.
Try to minimize your exposure to the sun during peak hours.
Mitigate
To make less severe, serious, or painful.
Measures were taken to mitigate the environmental impact of the project.
Reduce Idioms & Phrases
Reduce to ashes
To completely destroy, especially by burning.
The fire reduced the old barn to ashes.
Reduce to rubble
To destroy something so completely that it is left in pieces or debris.
The explosion reduced the building to rubble.
Reduce to nothing
To completely diminish or destroy something's value or existence.
The scandal reduced his reputation to nothing.
Reduce the deficit
To decrease the amount by which expenses exceed income.
The government took measures to reduce the deficit.
Reduce to tears
To make someone cry through emotional stress or pain.
The touching movie reduced her to tears.
Reduce someone to silence
To cause someone to stop talking or become silent.
His compelling argument reduced the opposition to silence.
Reduce in rank
To demote someone to a lower rank or position.
The soldier was reduced in rank following the disciplinary hearing.
Reduce to writing
To put spoken words or agreements into written form.
The terms were finally reduced to writing to avoid further confusion.
Reduce to the absurd
To show that an argument is absurd through logical reasoning.
His thesis reduces the opposing argument to the absurd.
Reduce to practice
To implement an idea or theory in a practical context.
The scientist reduced the theoretical concept to practice in the lab.
Reduce visibility
To cause conditions in which it is difficult to see.
The heavy fog reduced visibility to near zero.
Reduce to essentials
To concentrate on the most important elements or aspects.
The lecture was reduced to its essentials for the brief workshop.
Reduce by half
To decrease an amount by 50%.
The sale will reduce all prices by half.
Reduce under pressure
To become less effective or confident under stress.
The team’s performance reduced under pressure in the final minutes of the game.
Reduce to a common denominator
To bring different groups or elements to a basic level of agreement or similarity.
The mediator managed to reduce their demands to a common denominator.
Reduce to clear
To lower prices drastically in order to sell something quickly.
End-of-season sales reduce items to clear inventory.
Reduce the risk
To lower the chance of harm or loss.
Wearing helmets reduces the risk of head injuries.
Reduce to a formula
To simplify a complex issue or problem to a basic formula.
He reduced the complex issue to a simple mathematical formula.
Reduce to order
To organize or arrange something into a systematic or structured format.
The manager reduced the chaotic office to order within weeks.
Reduce one’s carbon footprint
To make efforts to produce less CO2 emissions.
By choosing to bike rather than drive, he was able to reduce his carbon footprint.
Reduce Example Sentences
She managed to reduce her stress through yoga.
They hope to reduce waste by recycling more.
He's taking measures to reduce his cholesterol levels.
Reduce the volume, please—it's too loud!
Can you reduce the brightness of the screen?
The software update will reduce the need for manual input.
The store will reduce the price of bicycles next week.
Reduce the speed when driving in rainy weather.
By planning meals, they can reduce food waste.
She used insulation to reduce heat loss in her home.
The team must reduce its errors in the next game.
The new manager plans to reduce overhead costs.
We need to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.
Reduce the recipe quantities to serve fewer people.
The project aims to reduce errors in data entry.
Common Curiosities
What is a stressed syllable in reduce?
The stressed syllable in "reduce" is the second syllable, -duce.
How many syllables are in reduce?
Reduce has two syllables.
What is the verb form of reduce?
Reduce itself is a verb; the base form is "reduce."
How do we divide reduce into syllables?
Reduce is divided into syllables as re-duce.
Why is it called reduce?
"Reduce" comes from the Latin word "reducere," meaning to bring back or lead back, which over time has evolved in English to mean decrease or diminish in size, amount, extent, or number.
How is reduce used in a sentence?
Reduce is often used to indicate making something smaller or less in quantity, size, or degree, e.g., We need to reduce our expenses.
What is the root word of reduce?
The root word of "reduce" is the Latin "ducere," which means to lead.
What part of speech is reduce?
Reduce is a verb.
Is reduce a noun or adjective?
Reduce is a verb, not a noun or adjective.
What is the pronunciation of reduce?
Reduce is pronounced as /rɪˈdjuːs/.
What is the first form of reduce?
The first form of reduce is "reduce."
Is the word “reduce” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
Reduce is a verb and can take both direct and indirect objects, depending on the sentence.
What is the opposite of reduce?
The opposite of reduce is "increase."
Which determiner is used with reduce?
Determiners are not typically used directly with verbs like reduce.
What is another term for reduce?
Another term for reduce is "decrease."
What is the plural form of reduce?
As a verb, reduce does not have a plural form, but the verb can be used with plural subjects, e.g., They reduce waste every year.
Is reduce an adverb?
No, reduce is not an adverb; it is a verb.
Is reduce a negative or positive word?
Reduce can be either negative or positive depending on the context in which it is used.
Is reduce a vowel or consonant?
The word reduce starts with a consonant.
Is reduce a countable noun?
Reduce is not a noun; it is a verb.
Is reduce a collective noun?
Reduce is a verb and not a collective noun.
Is the reduce term a metaphor?
The word reduce can be used metaphorically depending on the context.
What is the second form of reduce?
The second form of reduce is "reduced."
What is the singular form of reduce?
Reduce is a verb and does not have a singular or plural form, but its singular subject form in the present tense is "reduces," e.g., He reduces costs effectively.
Is reduce an abstract noun?
No, reduce is not a noun; it is a verb.
Is the word reduce Gerund?
Yes, the gerund form of reduce is "reducing."
Which conjunction is used with reduce?
Conjunctions like "and" and "but" can be used in sentences containing the verb reduce.
What is the third form of reduce?
The third form of reduce is also "reduced."
Is the word reduce imperative?
Reduce can be used in the imperative form to give commands, e.g., Reduce speed now.
Which vowel is used before reduce?
Commonly, no specific vowel is routinely used before "reduce" as it is a verb; usage depends on the specific construction of each sentence.
Which preposition is used with reduce?
The preposition "by" is often used with reduce, e.g., Reduce the volume by 10%.
Which article is used with reduce?
As a verb, reduce does not typically require an article. However, when discussing the concept or action of reducing, "the" can be used, e.g., The reduction of costs is essential.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
