decreasing
Americanadjective
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becoming less or fewer; diminishing.
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Mathematics. (of a function) having the property that for any two points in the domain such that one is larger than the other, the image of the larger point is less than or equal to the image of the smaller point; nonincreasing.
Usage
What does decreasing mean? Decreasing is an adjective that means lessening or in decline—becoming less in number, amount, size, or in some other way. It comes from the continuous tense (-ing form) of the verb decrease, which means to lessen or become reduced in number, amount, size, or in some other way, as in Our profits will continue to decrease unless we cut costs. The word decreased can also be used as an adjective to describe things that have lessened or declined, as in a decreased appetite. Example: Decreasing sales have forced the company to cut costs.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of decreasing
Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; see origin at decrease, -ing 2
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Waist circumference also dropped more sharply with semaglutide, decreasing by an average of −14.3 cm versus −6.0 cm with placebo.
From Science Daily • May 11, 2026
Opec is the organisation of mainly Gulf oil exporters, which for many decades controlled the price of crude oil by decreasing or increasing production and allocating quotas across its membership.
From BBC • Apr. 28, 2026
Pfeifer considers the flip side, too: “It’s possible our attention span is decreasing because we’re having fewer conversations.”
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026
It’s hardly a far stretch to suggest that global warming is implicated in decreasing sperm count.
From Slate • Apr. 16, 2026
During most of the movie Mrs. Reilly thought about Ignatius’ rapidly decreasing salary, the payment on the trumpet, the payment on the wrecked building, the earring, and the sign.
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
