reduce the defense

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "reduce the defense" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts related to sports, legal matters, or strategic discussions where the aim is to lessen or weaken a defensive stance or capability. Example: "In order to win the game, the coach decided to reduce the defense and focus on an aggressive offensive strategy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

He fought to reduce the defense budget.

The New York Times

To the Editor: The dispiriting lack of urgency in housing homeless veterans in Los Angeles is mirrored in many other cities — and conditions will only get worse if leaders in Washington cut more than 100,000 troops from active duty, as is currently planned to reduce the defense budget.

The New York Times

So much for the hope that any presidential candidate, in the face of the economic growth-stifling $18 trillion national public debt, would retract the empire, undertake fewer unnecessary military adventures overseas, reduce the defense budget, and return the money to allow rejuvenation of the civilian economy -- the true root of all long-term U.S. military, diplomatic, and cultural power.

Huffington Post

"I considered the failed rescue attempt my greatest regret and most painful lesson learned," Brown wrote in his book "Star Spangled Security".. Brown faced numerous obstacles when he took the job as Pentagon chief, including pressure to reduce the defense budget both from within the administration and from influential congressional Democrats.

Huffington Post

9– 14 Several immunomodulatory mechanisms are altered in DM and thus reduce the defense mechanisms to infections.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta lays out excellent proposals for reducing the defense budget: reducing nuclear weapons, the number of troops in Europe, the size of the ground forces, health care costs for military retirees and the number of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters ("Panetta Weighs Pentagon Cuts Once Off Limits," front page, Nov. 7).

The New York Times

Mr. Nader asked if the four candidates as a group would support getting out of Afghanistan, ending the ethanol subsidy and reducing the defense budget, along with a hodgepodge of other concerns.

The New York Times

Reducing the defense budget by about $55 billion a year, the sum at stake, would most likely mean fewer engineers and scientists inventing weaponry and more of them producing for consumers.

The New York Times

As of 1998 the Clinton Administration had reduced the defense budget to about 60% of its Cold War peak.

Forbes

He stabilized the Cold War while reducing the defense budget, and warned against the dangers posed to American society by the growing military/industrial complex.

Huffington Post

Moreover, in his second term, he reduced the defense budget by 13percentt in real terms as part of the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings deficit reduction plan.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In budgetary discussions, specify what aspects of the defense are being reduced to provide clarity. For example: "reduce the defense budget".

Common error

Avoid using "reduce the defense" without specifying what part of the defense is being reduced. Without context, it can be vague and lead to misinterpretations. Always aim for clarity by adding details such as "reduce the defense spending" or "reduce the coastal defense".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "reduce the defense" functions primarily as a verb phrase, where "reduce" acts as the verb and "the defense" serves as the direct object. This phrase is used to describe the action of lessening or diminishing defensive capabilities.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "reduce the defense" is a grammatically correct expression used to describe the act of diminishing or lessening defensive measures. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in various contexts, particularly in news, science, and strategic discussions. While not extremely common, its meaning is clear and its use is consistent. When using this phrase, ensure you provide enough context to avoid ambiguity about what aspect of the defense is being reduced. Alternatives such as "weaken the defense" or "lessen the defense" can be used for variety.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

weaken the defense

Focuses on making the defense less strong, maintaining a similar level of formality.

lessen the defense

Emphasizes a decrease in the intensity or extent of the defense.

diminish the defense

Highlights a reduction in the overall importance or effectiveness of the defense.

scale down the defense

Suggests a deliberate reduction in size or scope of the defensive efforts.

cut back the defense

Implies a reduction in resources or funding allocated to defense.

trim the defense budget

Specifically refers to reducing the financial resources for defensive measures.

lower the defense

Focuses on decreasing the level or intensity of defensive actions.

curtail the defense

Indicates a restriction or limitation placed on defensive activities.

pare down the defense

Suggests a careful and precise reduction in the elements of the defense.

relax the defense

Implies a deliberate loosening of defensive measures, often to create opportunities elsewhere.

FAQs

What does "reduce the defense" mean?

The phrase "reduce the defense" means to lessen or diminish the strength, resources, or intensity of defensive measures, whether in a military, economic, or even biological context.

What can I say instead of "reduce the defense"?

You can use alternatives like "weaken the defense", "lessen the defense", or "diminish the defense" depending on the specific context.

How can I use "reduce the defense" in a sentence?

You can use "reduce the defense" in sentences such as: "The government decided to reduce the defense budget to allocate more funds to education" or "The team chose to reduce the defense in order to focus on a more aggressive offensive strategy".

Is it grammatically correct to say "reduce the defense"?

Yes, it is grammatically correct to say "reduce the defense". It follows standard English grammar rules and is used in various contexts to describe a decrease in defensive measures.