decrease
verb (used without object)
to diminish or lessen in extent, quantity, strength, power, etc..
had decreased
-
past perfectof decrease.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Between 2004, when it came out, and 2007, total sales of Merlot had decreased 2%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
A 34-year-old resident of Sanandaj in western Iran said the intensity of the attacks had decreased and that in recent days he "realised the Islamic republic will not be overthrown in the way we imagined".
From Barron's ● Mar. 27, 2026
By June, the nation’s immigrant population had decreased by more than a million, to 51.9 million — and that decline has probably continued.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 1, 2026
The data published by Hesa showed the number of full-time students on courses in French studies had decreased from 9,700 in the 2012/13 academic year, to 3,700 by 2023/2024.
From BBC ● Dec. 15, 2025
For one thing, membership had decreased substantially in the past decade.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
