Verbs for Decreases in Quantity or Size · Verbs: Making Changing

to diminish in quantity or size over time

"Water supplies dwindled during the drought."

"The food supplies began to dwindle rapidly as more and more refugees arrived at the camp every single day."

to gradually lose intensity or strength

"His strength falls away."

"As we climbed higher the clouds fell away beneath us revealing a stunning view of the valley below."

to make something more limited or restricted in width

"The road narrows ahead, so drive carefully."

"The tailor will narrow the trousers to fit him perfectly."

to decrease the number of possibilities or choices

"Narrow down your choices to three."

"We need to narrow down our list of potential candidates to just three people who will come for final interviews."

to decrease the length of something

"Please shorten your speech a little."

"The editor had to shorten the article significantly to fit within the magazine's space limits."

to become smaller in extent, size, or range

"The pain lessens after taking medication."

"Regular exercise can help to lessen the risk of developing heart disease and other serious health problems as you age."

to become less in amount, size, or degree

"The temperature will decrease tonight."

"The doctor advised him to decrease his salt intake to lower his blood pressure naturally."

to reduce something to the lowest possible degree or amount, particularly something unpleasant

"You should minimize your daily sugar intake."

"You can minimize the risk of injury by wearing proper safety equipment and following all the instructions carefully."

to decrease the number or density of something

"Thin out the crowded seedlings carefully."

"The crowd began to thin out after midnight as people started to go home because they were tired."

to place limits or boundaries on something to reduce its scope or size

"The company curtailed unnecessary expenses."

"The manager decided to curtail the meeting because everyone was tired and nothing productive was being discussed anymore."

to become smaller in size, amount, or number over time

"The road will taper to one lane."

"The road begins to taper from two lanes to one as you approach the narrow bridge over the river."

to reduce the size, amount, or number of something

"The value will decrement by one."

"You need to decrement the counter by one each time a customer leaves the store or the queue."

to gradually fade away or subside

"Old traditions die out slowly."

"Many animal species are expected to die out due to climate change."

to gradually fade in color or quality over time due to constant use or other factors

"The anesthesia wears off after surgery."

"The painkiller will wear off in about four hours so you should take another dose before you go to sleep tonight."

to make something smaller in amount, degree, price, etc.

"We must reduce waste at home."

"Switching to energy efficient light bulbs can significantly reduce your household electricity bills over time."

to become less in size or width, creating a sensation of tightness

"The scarf can constrict your neck."

"The tight bandage began to constrict the blood flow to his injured hand."

to decrease something such as size or cost, to make it more efficient, economical, or manageable

"Cut back on sugar for health."

"The doctor advised him to cut back on salt and fatty foods to lower his blood pressure and cholesterol levels."

to reduce in amount, size, intensity, etc.

"His health began to decline rapidly."

"His health began to decline rapidly after he stopped taking his prescribed medication regularly."

(of human activities or natural forces) to gradually break down rocks, mountains, hills, etc.

"Rain can degrade rocks."

"Over centuries, wind and water gradually degrade the ancient mountain ranges into hills."

to become smaller, narrower, or tighter

"Muscles contract when you exercise."

"The cold air caused his pupils to contract significantly, making it hard to see."

to decrease in size or volume

"Wool sweaters shrink in hot water."

"The fabric is known to shrink considerably after the first wash in a machine."

to reduce the value or amount of something

"Deflate the value."

"The balloon began to deflate slowly after it was accidentally punctured by a sharp twig."

to decrease in degree, size, etc.

"The noise slowly diminished over time."

"The sound of the train gradually diminished as it traveled further away from the station until it could no longer be heard."

to dry up or shrink, typically due to a loss of moisture

"Plants wither fast."

"Without adequate rainfall, the delicate flowers began to wither under the relentless summer sun."

to decrease in quantity, quality, or extent

"Prices fall every year."

"The company's profits are expected to fall dramatically due to the economic downturn."

to lessen the amount, number, degree, or intensity of something

"They will drop prices."

"The temperature is expected to drop below freezing tonight so please protect your outdoor plants."

to gradually reduce something in size or number

"He will whittle the wood."

"The politician promised to whittle down the national debt through careful fiscal management."