scale back

British  

verb

1. (adverb) to reduce or make a reduction in the level of activity, extent, numbers, etc

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Example Sentences

That’s because if high-income shoppers scale back their spending, then the other horizontal lines of the “E” — the lower and middle classes — may not have enough spending power to keep the economy afloat.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

That’s because if high-income shoppers scale back their spending, then the other horizontal lines of the “E” — the lower and middle classes — may not have enough spending power to keep the economy afloat.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 3, 2026

Although the expansion improved ratings, the hosts have asked to scale back so they can pursue other projects at the network.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 18, 2026

Painter said that the increased revenue from energy prices wouldn’t necessarily close all of it, but state lawmakers likely won’t need to scale back the budget as much as they would otherwise need to.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 14, 2026

I tried to put the scale back together as best I could, managing to at least fit all the parts back inside and pound the frame back into a rough semblance of its previous shape.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

Related Words

• curtail
• cut back
• cut down
• diminish
• phase out
• reduce
• retrench
• scale down
• shrink
• trim