Decrease vs Enfeeble - What's the difference?

decrease | enfeeble | Related terms |

In transitive terms the difference between decrease and enfeeble

is that decrease is to make (a quantity) smaller while enfeeble is to make feeble.

As verbs the difference between decrease and enfeeble

is that decrease is of a quantity, to become smaller while enfeeble is to make feeble.

As a noun decrease

is an amount by which a quantity is decreased.

decrease

English

Verb

(decreas)

Of a quantity, to become smaller.

To make (a quantity) smaller.

Synonyms

* (become smaller) drop, fall, go down, plummet (rapidly), plunge (rapidly), reduce, shrink, sink * (make smaller) abate, cut, decrement, lower, reduce

Antonyms

* (become larger) go up, grow, increase, rise, soar (rapidly), shoot up (rapidly) * (make larger) increase, increment, raise, up (informal)

Noun

(en noun)

An amount by which a quantity is decreased.

(knitting) A reduction in the number of stitches, usually accomplished by suspending the stitch to be decreased from another existing stitch or by knitting it together with another stitch. See .

Synonyms

* (amount by which a quantity is decreased) cut, decrement, drop, fall, loss, lowering, reduction, shrinkage

Antonyms

* (amount by which a quantity is decreased) gain, increase, increment, raise , rise

Anagrams

* English ergative verbs English heteronyms 1000 English basic words

enfeeble

English

Verb

(enfeebl)

To make feeble.

* 2014 , Michael White, " Roll up, roll up! The Amazing Salmond will show a Scotland you won't believe", The Guardian , 8 September 2014:

In the face of enfeebled , self-harming opposition on both sides of the border (and a miserable economic recession on both sides too) he has performed brilliantly.

* 1774, Dr Samuel Johnson, Preface to the Works of the English Poets , J. Nichols, Volume II, Page 130,

"...the gout, with which he had long been tormented, prevailed over the enfeebled powers of nature."

Synonyms

* weaken