Verbs of Making and Changing - Verbs for Decreases in Quantity or Size

Here you will learn some English verbs referring to decreases in quantity or size such as "narrow", "shorten", and "lessen".

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Verbs of Making and Changing
to dwindle
to dwindle [verb]

to diminish in quantity or size over time

Ex: The team 's chances of winning are dwindling as injuries affect key players .
to die out
to die out [verb]

to gradually fade away or subside

Ex: The musician 's career seemed to die out after their initial success .
to wear off
to wear off [verb]

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

Ex: The polish on the wooden furniture tends to wear off with regular cleaning .
to fall away
to fall away [verb]

to gradually lose intensity or strength

Ex: The noise from the street began to fall away as we moved further indoors .
to narrow
to narrow [verb]

to make something more limited or restricted in width

Ex: As part of the renovation project , the architects decided to narrow the hallway to make room for additional office space .
to shorten
to shorten [verb]

to decrease the length of something

Ex: The project deadline was shortened unexpectedly .
to lessen
to lessen [verb]

to become smaller in extent, size, or range

Ex: The tension lessened as the negotiations progressed .
to decrease
to decrease [verb]

to become less in amount, size, or degree

Ex: The noise decreased as the construction work came to an end .
to reduce
to reduce [verb]

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

Ex: The government implemented measures to reduce pollution in urban areas .
to minimize
to minimize [verb]

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

Ex: The changes made to the process have minimized delays in production .
to constrict
to constrict [verb]

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

Ex: Over time , the material has constricted due to exposure to extreme temperatures .
to cut back
to cut back [verb]

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

Ex: In an effort to save money , the family decided to cut back on unnecessary expenses .
to thin out
to thin out [verb]

to decrease the number or density of something

Ex: The librarian thinned out the book collection to make space for new acquisitions .
to curtail
to curtail [verb]

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

Ex: In an effort to curb pollution , the government plans to curtail coal power and boost renewable energy .
to decline
to decline [verb]

to reduce in amount, size, intensity, etc.

Ex: The popularity of the product declined after the release of a newer version .
to degrade
to degrade [verb]

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

Ex: The river has been degrading the valley ’s edges for thousands of years .
to contract
to contract [verb]

to become smaller, narrower, or tighter

Ex: The rubber band has contracted over time , losing its original elasticity .
to shrink
to shrink [verb]

to decrease in size or volume

Ex: As the temperature dropped , the lake 's surface began to freeze , causing the water level to shrink .
to deflate
to deflate [verb]

to reduce the value or amount of something

Ex: Efforts to cut costs have deflated the company 's overall expenses .
to diminish
to diminish [verb]

to decrease in degree, size, etc.

Ex: Confidence in the project was diminishing as delays continued .
to wither
to wither [verb]

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

Ex: The neglected fruit on the tree has withered over the past few weeks .
to taper
to taper [verb]

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

Ex: The enthusiasm for the event is tapering as the date approaches .
to fall
to fall [verb]

to decrease in quantity, quality, or extent

Ex: The temperature is expected to fall significantly as we move into the winter months .
to drop
to drop [verb]

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

Ex: The new marketing strategy aims to drop response times for customer inquiries .
to decrement
to decrement [verb]

to reduce the size, amount, or number of something

Ex:
to whittle
to whittle [verb]

to gradually reduce something in size or number

Ex: The team will whittle the project timeline to meet the deadline .
Verbs of Making and Changing
Verbs for Production and Construction Verbs for Emission Verbs for Mixing and Merging Verbs for Change
Verbs for Positive Change Verbs for Negative Change Verbs for Changes of Intensity Verbs for Increases in Quantity or Size
Verbs for Decreases in Quantity or Size Verbs for Structural Changes Verbs for Changes in Color Verbs for Changes in Temperature