Definition of reduce

Scrabble & Words with friends points


  • reduce is a valid Scrabble US word with a point value of 9
  • reduce is a valid Scrabble UK word with a point value of 9
  • reduce is a valid Words with friends word with a point value of 11

Definition of reduce


  • cut down on; make a reduction in (verb)

    Examples

    1. reduce your daily fat intake

    Synonyms

    1. bring down
    2. cut
    3. cut back
    4. cut down
    5. trim
    6. trim back
    7. trim down
  • take off weight (verb)

    Synonyms

    1. melt off
    2. slenderize
    3. slim
    4. slim down
    5. thin
  • be cooked until very little liquid is left (verb)

    Examples

    1. The sauce should reduce to one cup

    Synonyms

    1. boil down
    2. concentrate
    3. decoct
  • lessen the strength or flavor of a solution or mixture (verb)

    Synonyms

    1. cut
    2. dilute
    3. thin
    4. thin out
  • reduce in scope while retaining essential elements (verb)

    Synonyms

    1. abbreviate
    2. abridge
    3. contract
    4. cut
    5. foreshorten
    6. shorten
  • be the essential element (verb)

    Synonyms

    1. boil down
    2. come down
  • put down by force or intimidation (verb)

    Synonyms

    1. keep down
    2. quash
    3. repress
    4. subdue
    5. subjugate
  • make smaller (verb)

    Examples

    1. reduce an image

    Synonyms

    1. scale down
  • 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 (verb)

    Synonyms

    1. deoxidise
    2. deoxidize
  • narrow or limit (verb)

    Examples

    1. reduce the influx of foreigners

    Synonyms

    1. tighten
  • cook until very little liquid is left (verb)

    Examples

    1. The cook reduced the sauce by boiling it for a long time

    Synonyms

    1. boil down
    2. concentrate
  • reduce in size; reduce physically (verb)

    Synonyms

    1. shrink
  • bring to humbler or weaker state or condition (verb)

    Examples

    1. He reduced the population to slavery
  • destress and thus weaken a sound when pronouncing it (verb)
  • lessen and make more modest (verb)

    Examples

    1. reduce one's standard of living
  • lower in grade or rank or force somebody into an undignified situation (verb)

    Examples

    1. She reduced her niece to a servant
  • make less complex (verb)

    Examples

    1. reduce a problem to a single question
  • reposition (a broken bone after surgery) back to its normal site (verb)
  • simplify the form of a mathematical equation of expression by substituting one term for another (verb)
  • undergo meiosis (verb)

    Examples

    1. The cells reduce

See definition of reduce in Merriam Webster