Synonyms for lessening
Most common
All synonyms
Noun
1. Decrease
decrease, diminution, reduction, diminishment, retrenchment, abatement, abridgment US, abridgement UK, shrinkage, drop-off, contraction, depreciation, decrement, lowering, curtailment, deduction
Other
Definitions
- n. 1
A growing lesser; reduction or decrease.
Forms
- Plural
- lessenings → decreases, diminutions, reductions, diminishments…
Example sentences
- reduction A further reduction would make us go into the red.
- decrease A significant decrease in temperature is expected.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| lessening | falling | |
| reduction | falling | |
| decrease | falling | |
| diminution | falling | |
| diminishment | rising |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 8 letters
- decrease2, lowering3
- 9 letters
- reduction3, deduction3, remission3, shrinkage2, abatement3, decrement
- 10 letters
- mitigation4, diminution4, abridgment
- 11 letters
- contraction3, curtailment3, abridgement3
- 12 letters
- depreciation5, retrenchment3, diminishment4
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (decrease2 = 2 syllables).