单词详解 

1. vt. & vi.

（使）缩短；减小，减少 (make smaller; decrease in size, extent, or range )

The population of smokers in the city decreased last year. 该城市去年吸烟人数减少了。

2. n.

A. 减小 (a change downward)

There has been some decrease in exports. 出口货物有所减少。

B. 减少（量） (the amount by which something decreases)

The decrease in sales was almost 15 percent. 销售额差不多减少了15％。

相关词组

1. on the decrease 在减少中

Is our production on the decrease? 我们的产量在减少吗？

2. decrease by 减少了……

The student number has decreased by 300 in our school last year.

去年我校的学生人数减少了300名。

相关单词

同义词：shorten, weaken

相关链接

词语辨析：decrease, lessen, reduce

decrease, lessen, reduce

这些词的共同含义是“减少，变少”。

decrease: 指逐渐地、不断地减少。

lessen: 普通用词，与 decrease 近义。指数目、程度、价值、实力等的减少。

reduce: 普通用词，含义广。指数量、程度的降低或减少。

词语详解

1. decrease: 指逐渐地、不断地减少。

The traffic accidents in our city decreased last year. 我市去年交通事故减少了。

2. lessen: 普通用词，与 decrease 近义。指数目、程度、价值、实力等的减少。

These immediate measures are supposed to lessen the impact of oil leaking.

这些即时的措施应该会减轻漏油的影响。

3. reduce: 普通用词，含义广。指数量、程度的降低或减少。

The landlady won't agree to reduce our rent. 女房东不会同意减少我们的房租。