reduce someone to something
phrasal verb with reduce verb [ I or T ] uk/rɪˈdʒuːs/ us/rɪˈduːs/
C2 使（某人）（情绪）低落;使（某人）沦落，使（某人）陷入困境
to make someone unhappy or cause someone to be in a bad state or situation
His comments reduced her to tears (= made her cry). 他的话把她气哭了。
The sergeant was reduced to the ranks (= made an ordinary soldier) for his cowardice. 中士因为贪生怕死被降为士兵。
C2 使（某人）被逼无奈做…；使（某人）不得不做…
If you are reduced to doing something, you are forced to do it because you have no other choice.
He was out of cigarettes and was reduced to smoking the butts left in the ashtrays. 我烟抽光了，无奈只好抽烟灰缸中的烟头。