decreasing
decreasing — adjective
1. becoming smaller, fewer, or lower at each step — used about a sequence, trend, o
becoming smaller, fewer, or lower at each step — used about a sequence, trend, or quantity that consistently goes down
The chart shows a decreasing number of visitors every year since the museum raised its ticket price.
decreasing + noun phrase for progressive decline
In a decreasing sequence, the fourth number must be smaller than the third.
Sales have followed a decreasing trend for the past six months, which worries the management.
Noor sorted the prices in decreasing order from the most expensive item to the cheapest.
The decreasing water level in the lake made it hard for the fishermen to launch their boats.
- increasing
the direct opposite; becoming larger or more numerous
文法句型
decreasing + noun
be + decreasing
常見錯誤
decreasing — verb
1. to become fewer, smaller, or weaker in amount, level, or strength — used without
to become fewer, smaller, or weaker in amount, level, or strength — used without a direct object when something goes down on its own
The number of students choosing to study languages has decreased sharply over the last decade.
decrease + adverb of degree (sharply)
As the medicine began to work, the pain in Clara's lower back decreased noticeably.
Rainfall in northern Kenya has been decreasing for several years, putting farms at risk.
When the temperature decreases at night, the desert can become surprisingly cold.
The company's expenses decreased after management moved to a smaller office building.
- increase
to become greater in number, amount, or degree
文法句型
[thing] + decreases
[thing] + decreases + adverb
[thing] + decreases + in + [aspect]
用法筆記
Subject is usually a measurable quantity (population, sales, temperature, speed) or a feeling (pain, interest, support). Never takes a direct object in this sense.
常見錯誤
2. to intentionally make something smaller, fewer, or lower — used with a direct ob
to intentionally make something smaller, fewer, or lower — used with a direct object when a person or organization causes the change
The hospital decreased its daily water usage by installing low-flow taps in every ward.
decrease + noun + by + amount — measuring the reduction
To cut costs, the factory manager decreased overtime hours for most of the production team.
When the patient's blood pressure stayed high, the doctor decreased the dose of the medication.
Farmers in the valley have decreased their use of chemical fertilisers to protect the nearby river.
The airline decreased the number of flights between Taipei and Osaka due to lower demand.
文法句型
[person/organization] + decreases + [noun]
be + decreased + [prepositional phrase]
用法筆記
Subject is typically a person, company, government, or other agent that can make a deliberate decision. The object is something controllable: spending, speed, dosage, production. Compare with sense 1, where no agent is involved and the subject undergoes the change.
常見錯誤
decreasing — noun
1. the process or fact of becoming gradually fewer, smaller, or weaker — the genera
the process or fact of becoming gradually fewer, smaller, or weaker — the general idea that something is going down
Scientists are closely monitoring the decrease of polar ice in the Arctic region.
decrease + of + [thing being reduced]
A sudden decrease in temperature caused the water pipes in the old house to freeze.
decrease + in + [aspect]
The steady decrease in unemployment over the past year has boosted consumer confidence.
Lily has noticed a slow decrease in her grandmother's appetite since the winter began.
The decrease in the quality of tap water led many families to buy bottled water instead.
文法句型
[a/the] decrease + in + [noun]
steady/gradual/sharp + decrease
用法筆記
Often preceded by an adjective (steady, gradual, sharp, dramatic) to describe the pace or scale of the reduction. Typically followed by 'in' plus the thing being reduced.
常見錯誤
2. the specific amount, number, or percentage by which something has become smaller
the specific amount, number, or percentage by which something has become smaller or fewer
The company reported a decrease of fifteen percent in its annual profits for 2023.
decrease + of + percentage
This year's decrease in rainfall was the largest recorded in over fifty years of measurements.
A decrease of nearly three hundred students forced the school district to close two elementary schools.
The new LED lights produced a decrease of about forty dollars in the monthly electricity bill.
A decrease of just two percent in production costs would save the factory over a million dollars each year.
文法句型
a decrease + of + [number/percentage]
decrease of 10%/50/$X
用法筆記
Unlike sense 1, this sense always specifies a concrete amount or percentage — look for 'decrease of' followed by a number. It answers the question 'how much smaller?'