reduced
Americanadjective
-
made smaller, lower, or less; diminished.
Individuals who experience depression have reduced levels of serotonin in their brains.
-
Mathematics. noting a polynomial equation in which the second highest power is missing.
The cubic equation x3 − 4x + 4 = 0 is reduced.
Other Word Forms
- nonreduced adjective
- quasi-reduced adjective
- unreduced adjective
Etymology
Origin of reduced
Explanation
A reduced thing has been lessened or subtracted from. If you want to ride your bike in Italy and you’re on a budget, look for reduced airfare. For a reduced risk of injury, wear a helmet when you get there. To reduce something is to make it smaller or lessen it in some way. Therefore, anything reduced is smaller than it was before. If you’re pedaling your way through Italy and hit a giant hill, you’ll probably have reduced pedal power and go much slower. This word applies to things that are going down in degree or amount. There could be reduced pain, reduced cost, or reduced size. Anything described as reduced can also be called decreased.
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.
At the behest of new Angels pitching coach Mike Maddux, Soriano has reduced his sinker usage to 30% this season.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026
A kids' kit, which usually costs £66, has been been reduced to £62 in the Mariners' spring sale.
From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026
Chinese startup DeepSeek released a new artificial intelligence model with "drastically reduced" costs Friday, more than a year after it stunned the world with a low-cost reasoning model that matched the capabilities of US rivals.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
Some native fungi, including those with ecological or medicinal importance, were reduced, while only a small number of species seemed able to coexist with the invasive mushroom.
From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2026
Halley senior died without leaving a will and with his wealth considerably reduced by the extravagance of his second wife.
From "The Scientists" by John Gribbin
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.
