diminishing returns
plural noun
1
: a rate of yield that beyond a certain point fails to increase in proportion to additional investments of labor or capital
2
: benefits that beyond a certain point fail to increase in proportion to extended efforts
Examples of diminishing returns in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
There have of course been diminishing returns with the more recent run of Indiana Jones sequels, but the first three installments all have a real spark.
—
Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
What’s more, there are diminishing returns to making every workout high-intensity.
—Christa Sgobba, Health, 17 June 2026
The rest of the film is essentially an attempt to recreate the shock and tension of that first scene over and over, with increasingly diminishing returns.
—Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Benefits follow the law of diminishing returns.
—Sankar Sen, The Conversation, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for diminishing returns
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Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
What’s more, there are diminishing returns to making every workout high-intensity.
—Christa Sgobba, Health, 17 June 2026
The rest of the film is essentially an attempt to recreate the shock and tension of that first scene over and over, with increasingly diminishing returns.
—Brianna Zigler, Entertainment Weekly, 15 June 2026
Benefits follow the law of diminishing returns.
—Sankar Sen, The Conversation, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for diminishing returns
Cite this Entry
“Diminishing returns.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diminishing%20returns. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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