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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb diminish differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of diminish are abate, decrease, dwindle, lessen, and reduce. While all these words mean "to grow or make less," diminish emphasizes a perceptible loss and implies its subtraction from a total.

his visual acuity has diminished

When is abate a more appropriate choice than diminish?

In some situations, the words abate and diminish are roughly equivalent. However, abate implies a reducing of something excessive or oppressive in force or amount.

the storm abated

When would decrease be a good substitute for diminish?

While the synonyms decrease and diminish are close in meaning, decrease suggests a progressive decline in size, amount, numbers, or intensity.

slowly decreased the amount of pressure

Where would dwindle be a reasonable alternative to diminish?

The meanings of dwindle and diminish largely overlap; however, dwindle implies progressive lessening and is applied to things growing visibly smaller.

their provisions dwindled slowly

In what contexts can lessen take the place of diminish?

While in some cases nearly identical to diminish, lessen suggests a decline in amount rather than in number.

has been unable to lessen her debt

When could reduce be used to replace diminish?

The synonyms reduce and diminish are sometimes interchangeable, but reduce implies a bringing down or lowering.

you must reduce your caloric intake

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of diminish These biological processes result in a whole host of benefits, including smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles (plus diminishing acne and fading discoloration). Zoë Weiner, Glamour, 25 Feb. 2025 In one sentence, Hegseth turned a conflict, in which Moscow had been roundly diminished and humiliated for three years, into the chaotic re-ordering of continental security, in which Moscow may somehow dominate to its west. Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 24 Feb. 2025 That has diminished the available supply of beans for roasters, pushing prices higher and leading to more margin calls. Peter S. Goodman, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025 This has less to do with a diminishing talent pool than a changing industry where the lines between Corman’s world and Hollywood at large became more sharply drawn. Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 13 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for diminish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diminish
Verb
  • Windows users can minimize data collection by adjusting their privacy settings under 'Diagnostics & feedback.' 2.
    Alex Vakulov, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
  • That last category refers to minimizing false positives, which are instances when the antivirus flags a valid program as malicious.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The venue renovations have significantly increased hospitality and premium offerings with new pubs, clubs, restaurants and seating, while reducing the number of suites from 70 to 40.
    Kurt Badenhausen, Sportico.com, 4 Mar. 2025
  • Or has your life together reduced him to, as in your letter, a list of maddening attributes?
    James Parker, The Atlantic, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • New York Open Data showed that certain types of delays, such as those related to braking issues, rail and roadbed problems and service delivery, decreased on the A line from September to December.
    Nic F. Anderson, CNN, 9 Mar. 2025
  • The three main causes of hydroplaning are: Vehicle speed - When a vehicle's speed increases, the tire-traction grip and ability to control the vehicle decreases.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Coach Joe Wyatt, formerly an El Camino Real head coach, was dismissed by the Royals in 2022.
    Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Starmer also dismissed calls to cancel a royal invitation from King Charles to the U.S. President for a U.K. state visit, an offer presented by the British leader at the Oval Office Thursday.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 2 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Crime has since subsided, though its memory hasn’t.
    Aatish Bhatia, New York Times, 10 Mar. 2025
  • The uproar surrounding the election has not subsided since that time, despite Ganim later winning two court-ordered re-do elections in 2024.
    Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • But several experts tell CNN that legal immigration is expected to decline throughout Trump’s second term as his administration fosters a hostile environment for immigrants through its policies and messaging, which could lead to fewer available workers across industries and higher inflation.
    Bryan Mena, CNN, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Daily meme coin launches peaked shortly after the $trump coin debut but have declined sharply.
    Billy Bambrough, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Diminish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diminish. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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