“Augment” means to make something greater in size, amount, extent or value. Its opposites describe different forms of reduction, from gradual decrease to deliberate cuts.
Quick List: 12 Antonyms
- Reduce
- Decrease
- Diminish
- Lessen
- Cut
- Shrink
- Contract
- Lower
- Curtail
- Trim
- Deplete
- Subtract
Reduce
Reduce is the broadest opposite, meaning to make something smaller or less.
Example: The redesign should reduce energy use.
Decrease
Decrease means to make or become lower in amount, number or intensity.
Example: The new schedule may decrease waiting time.
Diminish
Diminish often suggests a gradual reduction in size, importance, strength or effect.
Example: Repeated errors can diminish trust.
Lessen
Lessen means to make something smaller in degree, severity or quantity.
Example: The changes were intended to lessen the administrative burden.
Cut
Cut is a direct, often informal verb for reducing costs, quantities, time or other measurable amounts.
Example: The department must cut unnecessary spending.
Shrink
Shrink emphasizes becoming physically smaller or decreasing in scale.
Example: The market began to shrink after demand fell.
Contract
Contract describes becoming smaller, narrower or reduced in extent, especially in economic or physical contexts.
Example: The economy may contract during a prolonged downturn.
Lower
Lower means to bring a level, rate, price or amount down.
Example: The supplier agreed to lower the price.
Curtail
Curtail means to deliberately reduce or limit an activity, service or freedom.
Example: The shortage forced the venue to curtail its opening hours.
Trim
Trim suggests a modest or careful reduction rather than a major cut.
Example: The editor trimmed the introduction by two paragraphs.
Deplete
Deplete means to use up or substantially reduce a stock or resource.
Example: The prolonged drought depleted local reservoirs.
Subtract
Subtract is appropriate when an amount is mathematically removed from another quantity.
Example: Subtract the discount before calculating the final total.
Match the Verb to the Kind of Reduction
Reduce is flexible, while curtail usually implies deliberate limitation, shrink and contract emphasize scale, and deplete focuses on exhausting a resource. Subtract is mathematical rather than a general stylistic replacement.
Reduction verbs also differ in agency. Decrease and shrink can describe changes that happen on their own, while cut, trim and curtail usually suggest deliberate action. That difference can change who appears responsible for the reduction.