dwindle

dwin·dle

verb \ˈdwin-d^əl\

dwin·dleddwin·dling \-(d)liŋ, -d^əl-iŋ\

Definition of DWINDLE

intransitive verb

: to become steadily less : shrink

transitive verb

: to make steadily less

Examples of DWINDLE

1. Our energy dwindled as the meeting dragged on.
2. The town's population is dwindling away.

Origin of DWINDLE

probably frequentative of dwine to waste away, from Middle English, from Old English dwīnan; akin to Old Norse dvīna to pine away, deyja to die — more at die

First Known Use: 1596

Related to DWINDLE

Synonyms

abate, de-escalate, dent, deplete, diminish, downscale, downsize, drop, decrease, ease, knock down, lessen, lower, reduce

Antonyms

aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, enlarge, escalate, expand, increase, raise

Related Words

compress, condense, constrict, contract; abbreviate, abridge, clip, crop, curtail, cut, cut back, cut down, dock, nick, pare, prune, retrench, shorten, slash, trim, truncate, whittle; deflate, shrink; minimize; moderate, modify, modulate, qualify

Near Antonyms

blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, swell; elongate, extend, lengthen, prolong, protract; add (to), complement, supplement; enhance, heighten, intensify; redouble

See Synonym Discussion at decrease

Rhymes with DWINDLE

bindle, brindle, kindle, spindle, swindle