| Main Entry: | |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | cut short; abridge |
| Synonyms: | abbreviate, boil down, chop, clip, contract, cramp, cut, cut back, decrease, diminish, dock, downsize, get to meat, halt, lessen, lop, minify, pare down, put in nutshell, reduce, retrench, roll back, shorten, slash, trim, truncate |
| Antonyms: | extend, increase, lengthen, prolong |
| Main Entry: | defeat |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | conquer in military manner |
| Synonyms: | ambush, annihilate, bar, bear down, beat, best, block, butcher, crush, decimate, demolish, discomfit, drown, entrap, finish off, halt, hinder, impede, lick, mow down, obliterate, obstruct, outflank, outmaneuver, overpower, overrun, overthrow, overwhelm, parry, prevail over, quell, reduce, repel, repress, repulse, roll back, rout, route, sack, scatter, shipwreck, sink, slaughter, smash, subdue, subjugate, suppress, surmount, swamp, torpedo, trample, trash, upset, vanquish, whip, wipe out |
| Notes: | decimate means to kill or destroy in large numbers; defeat means to win a victory over or to beat |
| Antonyms: | give up, lose, surrender |
| Main Entry: | downsize |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | to decrease in size, especially of a workforce |
| Synonyms: | curtail, cut, cut back, cut down, decrease, deduct, diminish, phase down, phase out, reduce, retrench, roll back, roll down, scale back, scale down, shrink, step down, trim, trim away, tune down |
| Main Entry: | lessen |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | lower, reduce |
| Synonyms: | abate, abridge, amputate, attenuate, become smaller, clip, close, contract, crop, curtail, cut, cut back, de-escalate, decline, decrease, degrade, die down, dilute, diminish, downsize, drain, dwindle, ease, erode, grow less, impair, lighten, minify, minimize, mitigate, moderate, narrow, roll back, shrink, slack up, slacken, slow down, soft-pedal, take the bite out, take the edge off, take the sting out, taper, taper off, thin, truncate, weaken, wind down |
| Notes: | lessen means to decrease in size, extent, or range, while a lesson is a unit of instruction |
| Antonyms: | enlarge, extend, increase, raise, strengthen |
| Main Entry: | lower |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | reduce, minimize |
| Synonyms: | abate, clip, curtail, cut, cut back, cut down, de-escalate, decrease, decry, deflate, demote, depreciate, devaluate, devalue, diminish, downgrade, downsize, lessen, mark down, moderate, pare, prune, roll back, scale down, shave, slash, soften, tone down, undervalue, write off |
| Antonyms: | elevate, heighten, increase, rise |
| Main Entry: | reduce |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | make less; decrease |
| Synonyms: | abate, abridge, bankrupt, bant, break, cheapen, chop, clip, contract, curtail, cut, cut back, cut down, debase, deflate, depreciate, depress, diet, dilute, diminish, discount, drain, dwindle, go on a diet, impair, impoverish, lessen, lose weight, lower, mark down, moderate, nutshell, pare, pauperize, rebate, recede, roll back, ruin, scale down, shave, shorten, slash, slim, slow down, step down, take off weight, taper, taper off, tone down, trim, truncate, turn down, weaken, wind down |
| Notes: | reduce means to cut down on; minimize means to make small or insignificant or represent as less important |
| Antonyms: | expand, extend, grow, increase, raise, upgrade |
| Main Entry: | regress |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | return to earlier way of doing things |
| Synonyms: | backslide, degenerate, deteriorate, ebb, fall away, fall back, fall off, go back, lapse, lose ground, recede, relapse, retreat, retrogress, revert, roll back, sink, throw back, turn back |
| Antonyms: | develop, grow, progress |
| Main Entry: | return |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | give back, send back |
| Synonyms: | bestow, carry back, convey, give, hand back, make restitution, pay back, put back, react, rebate, reciprocate, recompense, reestablish, refund, reimburse, reinsert, reinstate, remit, render, repay, replace, requite, reseat, restitute, restore, retaliate, roll back, send, take back, thrust back, toss back, transmit |
| Antonyms: | keep, take |
| Main Entry: | save |
| Part of Speech: | verb |
| Definition: | economize; set money aside for later use |
| Synonyms: | amass, be frugal, be thrifty, cache, collect, conserve, cut corners, deposit, feather nest, gather, hide away, hoard, hold, keep, lay aside, lay away, maintain, make ends meet, manage, pile up, pinch pennies, put by, reserve, retrench, roll back, salt away, save for rainy day, scrimp, skimp, sock away, spare, squirrel, stash, stockpile, store, stow away, tighten belt, treasure |
| Antonyms: | squander, throw away, waste |