scale down

Idioms  

1. Reduce the size or cost of, as in The owners decided to scale down wages. This expression, along with the related scale up, which refers to an increase, alludes to scale in the sense of “a fixed standard.” [Late 1800s]

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Example Sentences

Extreme weather conditions are causing severe disruptions to logistics operations across Europe, with cargo vessels sheltering and terminals forced to halt or scale down activity, Maersk said on Wednesday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

US officials said that the direct-to-consumer channel will see costs of injectable GLP-1s start at an average of $350 per month, and that this should scale down over time.

From Barron's • Nov. 6, 2025

In the next year or two, there will once again be questions about whether he should remain a two-way player, or perhaps whether he should scale down his workload.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 24, 2025

Mr Bisaria notes that a broader set of measures was also proposed to scale down engagement with Pakistan, most of which were subsequently implemented.

From BBC • May 2, 2025

Grandma set her scale down on the table.

From "As Brave As You" by Jason Reynolds

Related Words

• curtail
• cut
• cut down
• decrease
• depreciate
• devalue
• diminish
• downgrade
• knock off
• lessen
• pare
• slash
• soften