reduce

/ɹɪˈd͡ʒuːs/

//ɹɪˈd͡ʒuːs// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"reduce" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“reduce” has 8 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #1,916. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#1,916
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
8
tracked misspellings
13
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - To bring down the size, quantity, quality, value or intensity of something; to diminish, to lower.

Corpus desk

Index EN-reduce · reduce · English

reduce · rank #1,916 · 8 variants · 13 confusables

  • FREQ-COMMON #1,916
  • LEN-LONG 6 letters
  • VOW-3 3 vowels
  • CONFUS-MID 13 pairs
  • VAR-MID 8 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH reaction

Nearest frequency peer: reaction (-1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “reduce”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “reduce” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

reduce vs reuse
67% similar
reduce vs Reece
50% similar
reduce vs revue
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for reduce
PropertyValue
Headwordreduce
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹɪˈd͡ʒuːs/
Letters6
Frequency rank#1,916
Misspellings tracked8
Confusable pairs13
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “reduce”

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right).reducelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Same rarity band neighbours include “reaction” (#1,915), “shoot” (#1,917), “presence” (#1,914). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “reduce” is #1,916. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 8 spelling variants around reduce (IPA /ɹɪˈd͡ʒuːs/), averb. Corpus frequency is #1,916 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 19 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 8 likely wrong-spelling variants for reduce, with forms such as "erduce", "rdeuce", and "redcue". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 13 confusable-pair relationships, "reuse", "Reece", "revue", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English reducen, from Old French reduire, from Latin redūcō (“reduce”); from re- (“back”) + dūcō (“lead”). See duke, and compare with redoubt. The correct English form is reduce, spelled R-E-D-U-C-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To bring down the size, quantity, quality, value or intensity of something; to diminish, to lower.
  2. 2
    To lose weight.
  3. 3
    To bring to an inferior rank; to degrade, to demote.
  4. 4
    To humble; to conquer; to subdue; to capture.
  5. 5
    To bring to an inferior state or condition.
  6. 6
    To be forced by circumstances (into something one considers unworthy).
  7. 7
    To decrease the liquid content of (a food) by boiling much of its water off.
  8. 8
    To add electrons / hydrogen or to remove oxygen.
  9. 9
    To produce metal from ore by removing nonmetallic elements in a smelter.
  10. 10
    To simplify an equation or formula without changing its value.
  11. 11
    To express the solution of a problem in terms of another (known) algorithm.
  12. 12
    To convert a syllogism to a clearer or simpler form.
  13. 13
    To convert to written form. (Usage note: this verb almost always appears as "reduce to writing".)
  14. 14
    To perform a reduction; to restore a fracture or dislocation to the correct alignment.
  15. 15
    To reform a line or column from (a square).
  16. 16
    To strike off the payroll.
  17. 17
    To annul by legal means.
  18. 18
    To pronounce (a sound or word) with less effort.
  19. 19
    To translate (a book, document, etc.).

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how reduce appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. to reduce weight, speed, heat, expenses, price, personnel etc.
  2. Becoming more aware of the progress that scientists have made on behavioral fronts can reduce the risk that other natural scientists will resort to mystical agential accounts when they exceed the limits of their own disciplinary training.

Etymology

From Middle English reducen, from Old French reduire, from Latin redūcō (“reduce”); from re- (“back”) + dūcō (“lead”). See duke, and compare with redoubt.

This word in other languages

reducir(Español)réduire(Français)reduzieren(Deutsch)reduzir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • erduce
  • rdeuce
  • redcue
  • redduce
  • reducce
  • reduec
  • reudce
  • rreduce

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of reduce - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

erduce2rdeuce2redcue2redduce1reducce1reduec2reudce2rreduce1
Edit distance from "reduce"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "reduce"?
"reduce" is spelled R-E-D-U-C-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹɪˈd͡ʒuːs/.
What does "reduce" mean?
As a verb, "reduce" means: To bring down the size, quantity, quality, value or intensity of something; to diminish, to lower.
What words are commonly confused with "reduce"?
"reduce" is commonly confused with "reuse", "Reece", "revue". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "reduce"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "reduce" is /ɹɪˈd͡ʒuːs/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "reduce"?
From Middle English reducen, from Old French reduire, from Latin redūcō (“reduce”); from re- (“back”) + dūcō (“lead”). See duke, and compare with redoubt. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "reduce", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 6 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

orders#1,912stress#1,923joined#1,903issued#1,902

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (8 here; floor ≥5).

sport8 variantssteps8 variantsforms8 variantsfacts8 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list