1. decrease
Sudden decrease in appetite is sometimes a sign of illness.
I would like to drastically decrease the amount of time it takes me to clean the house.
They should decrease the sugar in these muffins.
The prices decreased rapidly
Trade has decreased, which will weaken these countries' current account balances.
The reduction in obstetricians and gynecologists is a reflection of the decrease in births, thus reducing need for medical care.
For a display where the data items increase and decrease I think you are best making use of a spreadsheet program, not Access.
It isn't strange that children decrease, too?
The stock market registered a considerable decrease after the presidential election.
/dɪˈkriːs/ Our share of the market has decreased sharply this year. We have decreased our involvement in children's books.
to decrease At the end of the month there was a decrease of motivation.
slight decrease in respiratory function,
Elidel is used to decrease skin inflammation in eczema.
decrease reaction time and accuracy
It was very far-sighted for that company to change its policy to accommodate the decrease in numbers of children and the aging of society.
2. alleviate
"The drugs did nothing to alleviate her pain."
Her sympathy alleviated his distress... measures to alleviate poverty
to alleviate the problem
This practice alleviates many of the technical blockages.
He couldn't prevent her pain, only alleviate it.
I can help alleviate some of what you're going through
alleviate pain = relieve pain
You and others can almost always do something to alleviate the situation.
nothing he said could soothe her or alleviate the anxiety she was feeling
Kill me and alleviate my suffering.
stoplight timing is coordinated to alleviate traffic jams
we tend to beat ourselves up, momentarily feel that unbearable shame, then avoid or distract to alleviate the discomfort.
Antihistamine tablets will help to alleviate the symptoms of hay fever, but some sufferers become drowsy because of them.
To make (pain, for example) more bearable: a drug that alleviates cold symptoms. See Synonyms at relieve.
They will alleviate the pain and allow her to rest.