Break
Break verb - To cause to separate into pieces usually suddenly or forcibly.
Usage example: hated telling her that I had broken her favorite glass vase
Reduce is a synonym for break in rise topic. In some cases you can use "Reduce" instead the word "Break" as a verb or a noun, when it comes to topics like weaken, cushion.
Reduce
Reduce verb - To bring to a lower grade or rank.
Usage example: was reduced from team captain to team member as punishment for his misbehavior on the court
Break is a synonym for reduce in defeat topic. Sometimes you can use "Break" instead the word "Reduce" as a verb or a noun, if it concerns topics such as humble, rise, decrease, degrade.
Common collocations
Both words in one sentence
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You boys shoulda seen the original... I managed to break the Bat's spirit, and reduce his soul to mere confetti scraps!
Source: Self Demonstrating / The Joker -
They wipe us out, they break us down, they reduce the environmental impact almost to zero. Exemplary.
Source: Admiring the Abomination -
Equius's alternate universe counterpart, Horuss, has Equius's STRENGTH, but is smart enough to build not only robots, but also a steam-powered suit to actively reduce his STRENGTH so that he doesn't break stuff.
Source: Genius Bruiser
Cite this Source
Reduce and Break. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 15, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/break/reduce
Break & Reduce. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/break/reduce>.
Reduce or Break. 2016. Accessed August 15, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/break/reduce.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "break" and "reduce" have occurred on timeline