爱华网【英语词汇】
decrease、reduce、diminish、
dwindle、lessen、 lower
佳中
这组词都可表示“减少”、“降低”、“下降”
等意思。
decrease常用词，可用作动词和名词，指减少部分不需要的东西，也可用于抽象
事物，表示逐步减少、下降。
1）Because of the slackbusiness, they decided to decrease the numberof
employees by 40%.
因为生意萧条,他们决定减少40%的员工人数。
2）Theresearchers have suggested some methods that can decreasecosts and
increase production efficiency.
研究人员提出了一些建议,可以降低生产成本，提高生产效率。
3）As we know,materials expand and contract with the increase and decreaseof
temperature.
我们都知道物质是随温度的升高和降低膨胀和收缩的。
reduce 普通用词，使用范围广。多指人为地造成的减少、降低。名词是
reduction。
1)What can be done to reduce the poisonous and harmfulsubstances being poured
out in the air every day?
能做些什么来减少每天都在排放到空气中的有毒、有害物质?
2）Double glazedwindows can reduce thermal transmission for highercooling
effectiveness.
双层玻璃窗可以减少热传输而达到更高的冷却效果。
3）One thing iscertain: a substantial reduction in Iran’s energy outputwould
have a significant impact on global oil prices.
有一点是肯定的: 大量减少伊朗能源产量将会对全球石油价格产生重大的影响。
diminish主要用于表示整体数量减少，也可指表示抽象物的减少。
1）The tropical forests arerapidly diminished because of indiscriminatefelling
and shifting cultivation.
由于乱砍乱种热带森林在迅速减少。
2）Poor crops havediminished the food supply and there is an acute shortageof
food in the region
庄稼收成不好减少了食物供应。另外，这一地区严重缺水的食物。
3）The consumer’sdesire for a commodity tends to diminish as he buys moreunits
of that commodity.
随着消费者购买某一商品的次数增多，他对购买该商品的愿望往往会减弱。
dwindle 指减少程度大，已接近殆尽。
1）The fortune heinherited gradually dwindled to a few hundred pounds asthe
result of his extravagance.
由于奢侈他继承的财富逐渐减少到只有几百英镑。
2）As we grow older,the passion for learning and success gradually dwindlein
most of us.
当我们变老时, 我们大多数人对学习和成功的热情逐渐会减弱。
lessen虽然表示减少数量有关，但一般不表示减少具体的数目。
1）As a general rule, ourenergy lessens gradually with age.
通常,我们的精力随年龄减弱。
2）The governments of many countries have decidedto do something to lessen the
impact of the world economic depression.
不少国家的政府已经决定要采取措施来减少世界经济萧条带来的影响。
lower指数量、价格、程度、声誉、高度、声音等减少、下降、变小。
1）The landlord decided tolower the rent of the house he lent me.
房东决定降低租给我的房子的租金。
2）Blue and green surroundings can also lower blood pressure,pulse rate and
breathing rate.
蓝色和绿色的环境也可以降低血压、脉搏和呼吸率。
3）His recent behaviors lowered him in the eyes of the peoplearound him.
他最近的行为降低了他在周围人们眼中的地位。
