minimization vs step-down

minimization and step-down both are nouns.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
minimization	Yes	No	No	No
step-down	Yes	No	No	No

As nouns, step-down is a hypernym of minimization; that is, step-down is a word with a broader meaning than minimization:

minimization: the act of reducing something to the least possible amount or degree or position
step-down: the act of decreasing or reducing something

Other hypernyms of minimization include decrease, diminution, reduction.

minimization (noun)	step-down (noun)
the act of reducing something to the least possible amount or degree or position	the act of decreasing or reducing something