Which term means 'to reduce in amount'?

• A. Abate
• B. Abscond
• C. Adulterate
• D. Aggrandize

Answer: (A)

The word that means to reduce in amount is abate. It describes a decrease in intensity, size, or quantity—for example, a storm that abates, a nuisance that abates, or costs that abate. It’s a versatile verb used in weather, legal, and everyday contexts to signal that something is lessening.

Abscond means to leave suddenly and secretly to avoid detection. Adulterate means to contaminate something by adding another substance, typically diminishing its purity. Aggrandize means to increase in power, status, or wealth, or to make something seem greater than it is. These don’t convey a reduction in amount, which is why abate is the best fit.