Synonyms of the word

depopulate

• v. (transitive) To reduce the population of a region by disease, war, forced relocation etc.

desolate

• adj. Deserted and devoid of inhabitants.
• adj. Barren and lifeless.
• adj. Made unfit for habitation or use; laid waste; neglected; destroyed.
• adj. Dismal or dreary.
• adj. Sad, forlorn and hopeless.
• v. To deprive of inhabitants.
• v. To devastate or lay waste somewhere.
• v. To abandon or forsake something. (Can we verify^{([fullurl:Wiktionary:Requests for verification/English…}
• v. To make someone sad, forlorn and hopeless.

reduce

• v. (transitive) To bring down the size, quantity, quality, value or intensity of something; to diminish,…
• v. (intransitive) To lose weight.
• v. (transitive) To bring to an inferior rank; to degrade, to demote.
• v. (transitive) To humble; to conquer; to subdue; to capture.
• v. (transitive) To bring to an inferior state or condition.
• v. (transitive, cooking) To decrease the liquid content of food by boiling much of its water off.
• v. (transitive, chemistry) To add electrons / hydrogen or to remove oxygen.
• v. (transitive, metallurgy) To produce metal from ore by removing nonmetallic elements in a smelter.
• v. (transitive, mathematics) To simplify an equation or formula without changing its value.
• v. (transitive, logic) To convert a syllogism to a clearer or simpler form.
• v. (transitive, law) To convert to written form (Usage note: this verb almost always take the phrase "to…
• v. (transitive, medicine) To perform a reduction; to restore a fracture or dislocation to the correct alignment.
• v. (transitive, military) To reform a line or column from (a square).
• v. (transitive, obsolete) To translate (a book, document, etc.).

shrink

• v. (transitive) To cause to become smaller.
• v. (intransitive) To become smaller; to contract.
• v. (intransitive) To cower or flinch.
• v. (transitive) To draw back; to withdraw.
• v. (intransitive, figuratively) To withdraw or retire, as from danger.
• v. (intransitive) To move back or away, especially because of fear or disgust.
• n. Shrinkage; contraction; recoil.
• n. (slang, sometimes pejorative) A psychiatrist or therapist; a head-shrinker.