✅ Decrease refers to something getting smaller or lesser in number, generally at a steady pace over time (The swelling slowly decreased; The number of students taking languages kept decreasing).

✅ Diminish refers to something getting smaller, too, but because something is being taken away or is fading (Pollution diminished the beauty of the old city over the years).

✅ Decrease suggests that the cause is inherent to the thing, or that there is some unknown cause for the lessening (The size of the cloud rapidly decreased).

✅ Diminish suggests that the cause is external, and implies something has been subtracted from a whole (Frustration diminished her desire to keep up with the sport).

Try writing about a time when something caused your anger or sadness to diminish with the help of Grammar Coach.

✅ Immediately is the best word to use when you mean at once, or with no delay (I’ll do that immediately).

✅ Directly is the best word to use when you mean very soon (I’ll be there directly).

✅ Immediately suggests that there’s no significant passing of time (When the thunderstorm hit, they changed their beach plans immediately). Sometimes it can be used in a slightly metaphorical sense, to suggest a very slight, or smaller than expected, passage of time.

✅ Directly is a slightly old-fashioned word, and generally suggests that something happens or is done as soon as the present thing is over (I followed him directly).

We know you’ll immediately take a look at these synonyms for directly.

✅ Importance refers to what is particularly notable, valuable, or influential (The movie was of great importance to the development of cinema).

✅ Significance refers to what is notable and valuable, but that isn’t immediately recognized (His testimony was of enormous significance to the case).

✅ Importance and significance can be used interchangeably. They both suggest that the thing referred to is particularly special or noteworthy (She was of huge importance to the success of the business).

✅ Significance particularly implies looking back and understanding the importance of something with the benefit of hindsight (The event had significance for the future of politics).

We know you’ll appreciate the importance of these synonyms for significance.