[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/reduce/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [R](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/r/) / reduce

# reduce

verb (reduce, reduces, reduced, reducing)

«reduce» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To reduce something is to make it smaller in size, amount, number or strength. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reduce/#m1)
2. To reduce a price is to make it cheaper. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reduce/#m2)
3. In cooking, to reduce a sauce is to boil it so it becomes thicker and smaller in amount. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reduce/#m3)
4. To be reduced to something is to be brought to a worse state, such as being reduced to tears. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reduce/#m4)
5. To reduce something can mean to write it down in a simpler, standard form. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reduce/#m5)

### In the lessons

In maths, «reduce by 5» means subtract 5; «reduce by half» means divide by 2; «reduced by 20%» means take away a fifth; to reduce a fraction means to simplify it (6/8 = 3/4). In science and everyday life, «reduce, reuse, recycle» means using less, so there is less waste; we reduce energy use by switching off lights. Phrases: «reduce by», «reduce to», «reduced price», «reduce waste», «reduce speed».

### Examples

- Reduce 20 by 5 and you get 15. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reduce/#x1)
- The shop reduced the price of the shoes. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reduce/#x2)
- We can reduce waste by using a lunchbox. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reduce/#x3)
- Reduce speed near schools. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reduce/#x4)
- Wearing a helmet reduces the risk of head injury. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reduce/#x5)
- Reduce the fraction 4/8 to 1/2. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reduce/#x6)
- Cook the sauce until it reduces. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reduce/#x7)
- The sad film reduced me to tears. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reduce/#x8)
- I have reduced the Suffolk dialect. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reduce/#x9)

### Note

Regular verb: reduced. Noun: reduction. «Reduce by» tells you how much is taken away; «reduce to» tells you the new amount: «reduce 50 by 10» → 40; «reduce 50 to 10» → 10. In maths problems «reduced» means the number gets smaller.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «reduce» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/R/reduce/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«reduce» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/reduce.html) on Mova free.