dwindle

verb

dwin·​dle ˈdwin-dᵊl 

dwindled; dwindling ˈdwin-(d)liŋ 

-dᵊl-iŋ

intransitive verb

: to become steadily less : shrink

Their savings dwindled to nothing.

a dwindling population

transitive verb

: to make steadily less

Synonyms

• reduce
• decrease
• diminish
• deplete

Choose the Right Synonym for dwindle

decrease, lessen, diminish, reduce, abate, dwindle mean to grow or make less.

decrease suggests a progressive decline in size, amount, numbers, or intensity.

slowly decreased the amount of pressure

lessen suggests a decline in amount rather than in number.

has been unable to lessen her debt

diminish emphasizes a perceptible loss and implies its subtraction from a total.

his visual acuity has diminished

reduce implies a bringing down or lowering.

you must reduce your caloric intake

abate implies a reducing of something excessive or oppressive in force or amount.

the storm abated

dwindle implies progressive lessening and is applied to things growing visibly smaller.

their provisions dwindled slowly

Examples of dwindle in a Sentence

Our energy dwindled as the meeting dragged on.

The town's population is dwindling away.

Recent Examples on the Web

After months of summer heat, cooler temperatures are a welcome shift, but along with sweater weather and falling leaves come dwindling daylight hours. —Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025

Entry-level jobs have also dwindled because of AI agents, and stalling promotions across many agencies looking to do more with less. —Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025

While the region’s influence has dwindled dramatically since then, its civilization-spanning history lives on in its most famous landmarks, such as the 11th-century Aljafería Palace and the baroque Basilica of the Lady of the Pillar, both in the capital city of Zaragoza. —Siobhan Reid, Robb Report, 7 Sep. 2025

This new study provides crucial insight that might help researchers support dwindling populations. —Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

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, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Rhymes for dwindle

• brindle
• grindal
• grindle
• kindle
• spindle
• swindle
• windle
• rekindle

Kids Definition

dwindle

verb

dwin·​dle ˈdwin-dᵊl 

dwindled; dwindling ˈdwin-dliŋ 

-dᵊliŋ

: to make or become less