as in decrease
the amount by which something is lessened
each decrement in amount is limited to one third of the previous total
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of decrement
However, there are cognitive decrements over time...
—
Taylor Wilson, USA Today, 25 July 2025
Faced with out-of-bounds readings for the radar’s hardware, each CDU began to issue radar increment and decrement interrupts to the guidance computer—lots of interrupts.
—Lee Hutchinson, Ars Technica, 5 July 2019
Although the marijuana brownies caused significant decrements in participants’ attentiveness, physical coordination and ability to concentrate, only 11 percent of them ever had a THC blood level over the legal limit.
—Keith Humphreys, The Cannabist, 31 May 2017
The increment of fitness gain of the former happens to have been greater than the decrement entailed by the latter, resulting in the simultaneous increase in the frequency of both the fit and unfit variants.
—Razib Khan, Discover Magazine, 26 Aug. 2011
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decrement
Noun
-
Johnson, who has been in office since May 2023, said homicides were down 30% last year and there was also a 34% decrease in drug overdoses.—
-
The agency, which patrols unincorporated areas of the county, investigated 18 homicide deaths in 2025 after ending the previous year with 37 homicides — a 54% decrease.—
Noun
-
The company strips out nonessential systems and designs each component around mass reduction.—
-
On Wednesday, city leaders said the strategy has driven the recent crime reduction.—
Noun
-
Those two losses were part of a disappointing 1-3-1 homestand that put a dent in their previous home-ice dominance and put them in arrears in their chase for a playoff spot.—
-
Even at the presidential level – where personal legacy should, in theory, be most sensitive – scandals barely leave a dent.—
Noun
-
The report describes a kind of doom loop of AI dependence, where students increasingly off-load their own thinking onto the technology, leading to the kind of cognitive decline or atrophy more commonly associated with aging brains.—
-
The 11 citations represents a sharp decline from just months earlier.—
Noun
-
Ottawa was in Denver to play Kelly and the Avalanche last week when, shortly before puck drop, the club released a statement from general manager Steve Staios condemning rumors that were spreading like wildfire across the internet about his team.—
-
To remove rust, sprinkle a bit of Bar Keepers Friend or baking soda over the affected area, add a drop of water to create a paste, and gently scrub with a soft sponge.—
Cite this Entry
“Decrement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decrement. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
