reduction

noun

ri-ˈdək-shən How to pronounce reduction (audio)
Definition of reductionnext
1
as in deduction
something that is or may be subtracted there was a sizable reduction in her weekly pay when she decided to buy health insurance

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decrease
the amount by which something is lessened saw an 11% reduction in the number of students applying to the school

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in demotion
the act or an instance of bringing to a lower grade or rank the captain was punished with a reduction to lieutenant

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reduction The most obvious place to start is with a reduction in ground forces, which are expensive for the United States and the easiest for Europe to replace. — Jennifer Kavanagh, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026 Penalty abatement is the reduction or removal of a penalty that has already been assessed. — Jamela Adam, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 The temporary shelter led to a 65% reduction in encampments, served 95 people and helped 14 households transition to permanent housing in its first year of operation, according to Bontrager and a City Council staff report. — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 28 Aug. 2026 Graves said the reductions show Kansas City is making progress on crime while acknowledging that the statistics represent individual residents who have been affected. — Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reduction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reduction
  1. deduction
  2. decrease
  3. demotion
  4. discount
  5. decline
  6. firing
  7. dent
  8. dismissal
Noun
  • Sami claimed deductions totaling about $98,000 over three years as charitable and marketing expenses.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Last year, Congress passed a bipartisan update to the tax code that included a new non-itemizer charitable deduction.
    — Dale Bannon, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of deduction
Noun
  • Newlight also reported a 28 percent reduction in CO₂ emissions and a 22 percent decrease in carbon monoxide emissions during the voyage.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2026
  • That is a drastic decrease in public support for right-leaning competitors since 2022, when nearly three times as many candidates won their seats and the group spent thousands on over 50 Florida school board campaigns.
    — Trinity Webster-Bass, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of decrease
Noun
  • McCoy’s lawsuit alleges that her demotion was in violation of Missouri’s whistleblower statute, which allows public employees to sue for unlawful retaliation after reporting violations of law.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The outcome of the investigation, Balon said, resulted in the officer receiving a demotion in rank, an unpaid suspension, an indefinite suspension from the use of Flock and remedial ethics training.
    — Post-Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of demotion
Noun
  • My expert shopping adventure led me to 10 can’t-miss Labor Day discounts going for $20 or less.
    — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2026
  • But Titaner's launch-day pricing represents the campaign's deepest discount, and that offer is about to end.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of discount
Noun
  • Larger coupon payments now provide a cushion against further price declines, unlike the low-yield environment earlier this decade.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Later, Hammer filmed her body’s visible decline from a long battle with cancer, concluding with her death in 2019 at age 79.
    — Rachel Handler, Vulture, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of decline
Noun
  • Training units would not need to replace the complete launch pod after every firing cycle.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Among other requests, the complaint asked the court to declare the firings unlawful under the First Amendment and the Administrative Procedures Act and bar the Pentagon from proceeding with the terminations.
    — BrieAnna J. Frank, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of firing
Noun
  • The departures of Ethan Hurkett (8 sacks), Max Llewellyn (6 1/2) and Aaron Graves (5) put a big dent in the pass rush.
    — John Bohnenkamp, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Tracks Check that the tracks on both sides of the door are properly aligned and free of dents or debris.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of dent
Noun
  • Many independent pediatrics practices had dismissal policies like the one this mom had come up against in Fall River.
    — Eric Boodman, STAT, 3 Sep. 2026
  • This baseball season has been defined, in part, by dismissals.
    — Andy McCullough, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of dismissal

Browse Nearby Words

reducing
reduction
reductions
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Cite this Entry

“Reduction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reduction. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on reduction

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about reduction

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