verb
reduce
rih-JOOS
verb
1
To make something smaller in size, amount, or intensity.
"The company reduced its workforce by ten percent."
"Try to reduce your sugar intake."
2
To boil a sauce or liquid down so it becomes thicker and more concentrated.
"Reduce the wine sauce over low heat until it coats the back of a spoon."
3
To bring a broken bone or dislocated joint back into its correct position.
"The doctor reduced the dislocated shoulder in the emergency room."
4
To force someone into a lesser or worse state or condition.
"The scandal reduced him to a laughing stock."
How to Use Reduce
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo make smaller, weaker, or simpler — from cutting costs to thickening a sauce to setting a broken bone.
Common pairings
reduce costs
reduce risk
reduce the sauce
Word Forms
reduced past tense, reduces singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “reduce”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The company _____ its workforce by ten percent.
Etymology
From Latin reducere, \"to lead back,\" from re- (\"back\") plus ducere (\"to lead\").