reduce

To make something smaller or lower in amount, strength, or value.

• We need to reduce costs.
• The shop reduced its prices yesterday.
• Can you reduce the amount of salt?

How to use it: reduce something by an amount (We reduced our spending by twenty percent.); reduce something to an amount (They reduced the price to ten pounds.)

Similar words: lower, decrease, cut, lessen

Opposites: increase, raise

Common phrases: reduce costs, reduce the risk, reduce something by half, reduce speed

To boil a liquid so some water disappears and the liquid becomes thicker.

• Reduce the sauce gently.
• She reduced the wine in a small pan.
• Let the liquid reduce until it becomes thick.

How to use it: reduce something by half (Reduce the stock by half before adding cream.)

Similar words: boil down

Common phrases: reduce the sauce, reduce by half, reduce over heat

To change a substance by adding electrons or hydrogen, or taking away oxygen.

• Hydrogen can reduce this oxide.
• The compound was reduced in the laboratory.
• They used carbon to reduce the iron oxide.

How to use it: reduce something to something (Carbon can reduce the oxide to metal.)

Opposites: oxidize

Common phrases: reduce an oxide, reduce with hydrogen, reduce to metal