mindmap root((减少)) decrease suggests a progressive decline in size, amount, numbers, or intensity: slowly ~d the amount of pressure. lessen suggests a decline in amount rather than in number: has been unable to ~ her debt at all. diminish emphasizes a perceptible loss and implies its subtraction from a total: his muscular strength has ~ed with age. reduce implies a bringing down or lowering: ~ your caloric intake. abate implies a reducing of something excessive or oppressive in force or amount: voted to ~ the tax. dwindle implies a progressive lessening and is applied to things capable of growing visibly smaller or disappearing: their provisions ~d slowly but surely.