Voce del Thesaurus: the fact of getting smaller or becoming less

the fact of getting smaller or becoming less

These words are used to refer to the fact that something is getting smaller in number, weight, value, etc.

One of the most common words for this is decrease.

There has been a steady decrease in the number of visitors.

Stock prices have decreased by 3% in the last quarter.

The opposite of decrease is increase.

There has been an increase in noise complaints since the building started.

For more opposites of decrease, see the article at increase.

When talking about prices, levels, and amounts in particular, you can use the nouns fall, fall-off, or falling-off to describe a decrease. These words are common in writing, especially in business contexts.

A fall in the price of petrol is unlikely.

There's been a sharp fall-off in demand for the product since the company's scandal broke.

There has been a slight falling-off in public sector employment growth.

The opposite of fall is rise.

There has been a sharp rise in home sales this month.

You can talk about a drop in value, weight, level, or the number of something. Drop is usually singular in this use.

We are expecting a sharp drop in temperatures overnight.

The word decline is used broadly to describe a decrease in quality, strength, importance, or amount. It implies that something is getting worse.

A decline in profits is to be expected in this economic climate.

A sudden decrease can be called a nosedive. Nosedive is often used in economic or business contexts.

Consumer confidence has taken a nosedive.

A reduction usually refers the act of making something smaller in size, importance, or degree. Reduction is slightly more formal than decrease and is used more in writing than in speech.

The company announced a 10 per cent wage reduction in response to poor earnings.

After better security measures were taken, the area saw a reduction in crime.

You can talk about a downturn or a downswing in the level of something, especially in economic figures.

The economic downturn is likely to continue.

Banks took action to counter the downswing in manufacturing.

The opposite of downturn is upturn. The opposite of downswing is upswing. Like downturn and downswing, these words are used in economic or business contexts.

Some sectors of the economy have seen a sharp upturn.

Production is on the upswing after a stagnant third quarter.