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Decreased vs Lessened - What's the difference?

decreased | lessened |

As verbs the difference between decreased and lessened

is that decreased is past tense of decrease while lessened is past tense of lessen.

As an adjective lessened is

having been lessened.

decreased

English

Verb

(head)
  • (decrease)

    • 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

    lessened

    English

    Verb

    (head)
  • (lessen)

    • Adjective

    (head)
  • Having been lessened.

    • Anagrams

    *