Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense reduces, present participle reducing, past tense, past participle reduced
1. verb
If you reduce something, you make it smaller in size or amount, or less in degree.
It reduces the risks of heart disease. [VERB noun]
Consumption is being reduced by 25 per cent. [VERB noun]
The reduced consumer demand is also affecting company profits. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: lessen, cut, contract, lower More Synonyms of reduce
2. verb [usually passive]
If someone is reducedto a weaker or inferior state, they become weaker or inferior as a result of something that happens to them.
They were reduced to extreme poverty. [beVERB-ed + to]
They wanted the army reduced to a police force. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: degrade, downgrade, demote, lower in rank More Synonyms of reduce
3. verb [usually passive]
If you say that someone is reducedto doing something, you mean that they have to do it, although it is unpleasant or embarrassing.
He was reduced to begging for a living. [beVERB-ed + to]
Synonyms: drive, force, bring, bring to the point of More Synonyms of reduce
4. verb [usually passive]
If something is changed to a different or less complicated form, you can say that it is reducedto that form.
All the buildings in the town have been reduced to rubble. [beVERB-ed + to]
Politics has been reduced to class struggle. [beV-ed to n]
5. verb
If you reduce liquid when you are cooking, or if it reduces, it is boiled in order to make it less in quantity and thicker.
Boil the liquid in a small saucepan to reduce it by half. [VERB noun]
Simmer until mixture reduces. [VERB]
Synonyms: thicken, set, gel, clot More Synonyms of reduce
6.
See reduced circumstances
7.
See reduce to silence
8.
See reduce to tears
More Synonyms of reduce
reduce in British English
(rɪˈdjuːs)
verb(mainly tr)
1. (also intr)
to make or become smaller in size, number, extent, degree, intensity, etc
2.
to bring into a certain state, condition, etc
to reduce a forest to ashes
to reduce someone to despair
3. (also intr)
to make or become slimmer; lose or cause to lose excess weight
4.
to impoverish (esp in the phrase in reduced circumstances)
5.
to bring into a state of submission to one's authority; subjugate
the whole country was reduced after three months
6.
to bring down the price of (a commodity)
the shirt was reduced in the sale
7.
to lower the rank or status of; demote
he was reduced from corporal to private
reduced to the ranks
8.
to set out systematically as an aid to understanding; simplify
the theories have been reduced in a popular treatise
9. mathematics
to modify or simplify the form of (an expression or equation), esp by substitution of one term by another
10. cookery
to make (a sauce, stock, etc) more concentrated by boiling away some of the water in it
11.
to thin out (paint) by adding oil, turpentine, etc; dilute
12. (also intr) chemistry
a.
to undergo or cause to undergo a chemical reaction with hydrogen or formation of a hydride
b.
to lose or cause to lose oxygen atoms
c.
to undergo or cause to undergo an increase in the number of electrons
Compare oxidize
13. photography
to lessen the density of (a negative or print) by converting some of the blackened silver in the emulsion to soluble silver compounds by an oxidation process using a photographic reducer
14. surgery
to manipulate or reposition (a broken or displaced bone, organ, or part) back to its normal site
15. (also intr) biology
to undergo or cause to undergo meiosis
Derived forms
reducible (reˈducible)
adjective
reducibility (reˌduciˈbility) or rare reducibleness (reˈducibleness)
noun
reducibly (reˈducibly)
adverb
Word origin
C14: from Latin redūcere to bring back, from re- + dūcere to lead
reduce in American English
(rɪˈdus; rɪˈdjus)
verb transitiveWord forms: reˈduced or reˈducing
1.
a.
to lessen in any way, as in size, weight, amount, value, price, etc.; diminish
b.
to put into a simpler or more concentrated form
2.
to bring into a certain order; systematize
3.
to break up into constituent elements by analysis
4.
a.
to put into a different form
to reduce a talk to writing
b.
to change to a different physical form, as by melting, crushing, grinding, etc.
5.
to lower, as in rank or position; demote; downgrade
6.
a.
to bring to order, attention, obedience, etc., as by persuasion or force
b.
to subdue or conquer (a city or fort) by siege or attack
7.
a.
to bring into difficult or wretched circumstances
a people reduced to poverty
b.
to compel by need to do something
reduced to stealing
8.
a.
to weaken in bodily strength; make thin
reduced to skin and bones
b.
to thin (paint, lacquer, etc.), as with turpentine
9. Arithmetic
to change in denomination or form without changing in value
to reduce fractions to their lowest terms
10. Chemistry
a.
to decrease the positive valence of (an element or ion)
b.
to increase the number of electrons of (an atom, element, or ion)
c.
to remove the oxygen from; deoxidize
d.
to combine with hydrogen
e.
to bring into the metallic state by removing nonmetallic elements
11. Cookery
to boil (a liquid) in order to decrease the volume and concentrate the flavors
12. Phonetics
to articulate (a vowel) in a central position, giving it a neutral quality, as in an unstressed syllable
13. Photography
to weaken or lower the density of (a negative or print) by removing metallic silver
14. Surgery
to restore (a broken bone, displaced organ, etc.) to normal position or condition
verb intransitive
15.
to become reduced
16.
to lose weight, as by dieting
SIMILAR WORDS: deˈcrease
Derived forms
reducibility (reˌduciˈbility)
noun
reducible (reˈducible)
adjective
reducibly (reˈducibly)
adverb
Word origin
ME reducen < L reducere, to lead back < re-, back + ducere, to lead: see duct
Examples of 'reduce' in a sentence
reduce
Bring to the boil and simmer until the liquid has reduced to two tablespoons.
The Sun (2016)
This takes cost down by reducing the number of assets.
Computing (2010)
Studies have shown that they also reduce fatigue and stress.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Where they own large parts of their own infrastructure they should think about outsourcing to reduce costs.
Computing (2010)
Allow the mixture to simmer until thickened and reduced by roughly half.
The Sun (2017)
There is only one way to reduce the demand for meat and that is by rationing the people.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
It's time bat sizes were reduced.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Slip the potatoes into the pan and gently return to simmer by which time they will be tender and the liquid slightly reduced.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
The interest savings you'll make by reducing the mortgage will eclipse anything you'd earn in a savings account.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
After establishing a reserve for emergencies, it makes sense to reduce borrowing, with the most expensive loan first.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Turn down to a rolling simmer and reduce the liquid by about a third.
The Sun (2013)
Will they reduce costs and make healthcare more productive?
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
This was reduced to one window on appeal.
The Sun (2009)
This also reduces the chance of fungal diseases and lets insects in to munch on pests.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Will this arrangement accomplish the goal of reducing overtime pay costs?
Christianity Today (2000)
You could also make overpayments to reduce the size of your loan.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Tip the reduced liquid into a bowl and set aside.
Kowalski, Robert E The 8-Week Cholesterol Cure (1990)
Thus reduced biodiversity makes more people ill.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The obvious answer is to reduce the number of ships.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The offshore wind capital grants scheme will also be reduced.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
We think it will transform patient experience and reduce the cost of what we do.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Turn down to a simmer and continue cooking until reduced by half.
The Sun (2013)
The purpose of harnessing individuals is surely to reduce the size and scope of government.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The skin should now be golden and the liquid reduced by about half.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
This reduces friction and makes the train immune to frozen points and leaves on the line.
The Sun (2015)
He has reduced the number of income tax bands.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
She reduces one of them to tears.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The insurers have also reduced their exposure to equities and taken steps to hedge their positions.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
We have reduced our costs over the past year.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Now pour in the chicken stock and simmer until reduced by half.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Researchers found memory aids like keeping food wrappers helped people reduce their meal sizes.
The Sun (2013)
In other languages
reduce
British English: reduce /rɪˈdjuːs/ VERB
If you reduce something, you make it smaller.
It reduces the risks of heart disease.
American English: reduce
Arabic: يُخَفِّضُ
Brazilian Portuguese: reduzir
Chinese: 减少
Croatian: smanjiti
Czech: zmenšit
Danish: reducere
Dutch: verminderen
European Spanish: reducir
Finnish: vähentää pienentää
French: réduire
German: reduzieren
Greek: ελαττώνω
Italian: ridurre
Japanese: 減らす
Korean: 축소하다
Norwegian: redusere
Polish: zmniejszyć
European Portuguese: reduzir
Romanian: a micșora
Russian: сокращать
Latin American Spanish: reducir
Swedish: minska
Thai: ทำให้ลดลง
Turkish: azaltmak
Ukrainian: зменшувати
Vietnamese: giảm
All related terms of 'reduce'
reduce weight
The weight of a person or thing is how heavy they are, measured in units such as kilograms , pounds , or tons .
reduce benefits
Benefit is money that is given by the government to people who are poor , ill , or unemployed .
reduce capacity
The capacity of something such as a factory , industry , or region is the quantity of things that it can produce or deliver with the equipment or resources that are available .
reduce poverty
Poverty is the state of being extremely poor .
reduce a risk
If you reduce a risk , you lessen the potential damage that could be caused by a hazard or danger .
reduce immigration
Immigration is the coming of people into a country in order to live and work there.
reduce pollution
Pollution is poisonous or dirty substances that are polluting the water, air, or land somewhere .
reduce the gap
A gap between two groups of people, things, or sets of ideas is a big difference between them.
reduce an amount
The amount of something is how much there is, or how much you have, need , or get .
reduce the budget
Your budget is the amount of money that you have available to spend . The budget for something is the amount of money that a person, organization, or country has available to spend on it.
reduce the chance
If there is a chance of something happening , it is possible that it will happen .
reduce to silence
If someone or something reduces you to silence , they make you feel so upset or confused that you cannot speak.
reduce to tears
If someone or something reduces you to tears , they make you feel so unhappy that you cry .
reduce a population
If you refer to a particular type of population in a country or area, you are referring to all the people or animals of that type there.
Chinese translation of 'reduce'
reduce
(rɪˈdjuːs)
vt
[spending, numbers, risk etc]减(減)少 (jiǎnshǎo)
to reduce sb to sth使某人沦(淪)落到某种(種)状(狀)态(態) (shǐ mǒurén lúnluòdào mǒu zhǒng zhuàngtài)
to reduce sth to sth使某事陷入某种(種)状(狀)态(態) (shǐ mǒushì xiànrù mǒu zhǒng zhuàngtài)