---
title: 3.3 Decrement Operator
description: "The decrement operator `--` decreases the value of an operand by `1`. Like the increment operator, it can be written before or after the operand. ``` #include int main() { int number = 5; number--; printf(\"number = %d\\n\", number); return…"
url: "https://edcret.in/docs/c-programming/operators-and-expressions/3-3-decrement-operator/"
updated: "2026-09-07"
category: C Programming / Operators and Expressions
---

# 3.3 Decrement Operator

The decrement operator `--` decreases the value of an operand by `1`. Like the increment operator, it can be written before or after the operand.

```
#include <stdio.h>

int main()
{
    int number = 5;

    number--;

    printf("number = %d\n", number);

    return 0;
}
```

### Example Output

```
number = 4
```

### Explanation

The decrement operator is applied to `number`:

```
number--;
```

This decreases its value from `5` to `4`.

The decrement operator has two forms:

```
--number;
number--;
```

Both forms decrease the operand by `1`. The difference between the prefix and postfix forms matters when the decrement operation is used as part of a larger expression.