diminish

verb

də-ˈmi-nish How to pronounce diminish (audio)
Definition of diminishnext
1
as in to minimize
to express scornfully one's low opinion of tends to diminish any rival's accomplishments with snide remarks

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to reduce
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent the state's blood supplies were severely diminished by the two consecutive disasters

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to decrease
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually the sound of the train diminished as our distance from it increased

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 In an on-demand, streaming world, though, its lineup of long-tail movies like Dolphin Tale, Spy Kids or Beetlejuice Beetlejuice have diminishing value for distributors. —Dade Hayes, Deadline, 13 June 2025 Even if the price is good, a deal on a product that goes on sale all the time diminishes the overall quality of that deal. —Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 12 June 2025 Without treatment from Oumou, a child’s chance of leading a successful life is severely diminished. —Angela Weaver, Baltimore Sun, 12 June 2025 Miyazaki being pushed to the forefront, mostly due to the way audiences respond to his movies, risks diminishing the work of everyone else at the studio. —Ryan Gaur, IndieWire, 10 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for diminish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diminish
  1. minimize
  2. reduce
  3. decrease
  4. dismiss
  5. subside
  6. decline
Verb
  • Here are tips on how to stay safe during a thunderstorm: To minimize risk of being struck by lightning, when going outside, have a plan to get to a safer place.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 June 2025
  • Water deeply early in the day and avoid overhead watering to allow foliage to dry before nightfall to minimize fungal diseases.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 13 June 2025
Definition of minimize
Verb
  • Here are recommendations for maintaining safety during a thunderstorm: To reduce the chance of being struck by lightning, when venturing outside, have a plan to get to a safer area.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 9 June 2025
  • Yerevan has since sought to diversify its defense sources, reducing arms imports from Russia to as low as 10 percent by 2024.
    — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
Definition of reduce
Verb
  • Several people are still unaccounted for, but the number of missing people has slowly decreased, a San Antonio Fire Department spokesperson confirmed to PEOPLE.
    — Charna Flam, People.com, 14 June 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.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 14 June 2025
Definition of decrease
Verb
  • For example, recent reports about the potential for automotive production to be curtailed due to rare earth mineral shortages should not be dismissed.
    — Zev Fima, CNBC, 6 June 2025
  • Despite seeking help from her local GP, her concerns were initially dismissed.
    — Ashley Vega, People.com, 6 June 2025
Definition of dismiss
Verb
  • The rain had stopped and much of the floodwater was subsiding.
    — Gerald Imray, Los Angeles Times, 13 June 2025
  • Yet, the excitement quickly subsided—shares fell 1.18% in after-hours trading to $178.84 following a mixed Q1 earnings report that exceeded EPS expectations but fell short on sales forecasts.
    — Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
Definition of subside
Verb
  • The April 11 ruling came during a hearing in Maryland, where a Justice Department attorney declined to provide basic details about Abrego Garcia’s whereabouts.
    — Chantelle Lee, Time, 7 June 2025
  • Travis' declining mental health began to affect his parenting, which led Whitney to limit Travis' visitation, per a September 2024 court filing reviewed by PEOPLE.
    — Nicole Acosta, People.com, 6 June 2025
Definition of decline

Browse Nearby Words

dime stores
diminish
diminished
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Cite this Entry

“Diminish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diminish. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.

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