diminish

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verb

Definition of DIMINISH

1

to express scornfully one's low opinion of <tends to diminish any rival's accomplishments with snide remarks>

Synonyms bad-mouth, belittle, cry down, denigrate, deprecate, depreciate, derogate, diminish, dis (also diss) [slang], discount, dismiss, disparage, kiss off, minimize, play down, poor-mouth, put down, run down, talk down, trash, trash-talk, vilipend, write off

Related Words discommend; abuse, scold; disapprove (of), dislike; censure, condemn, criticize, denounce, reprehend, reprobate; asperse, defame, malign, rip, slander, slur, traduce, vilify; discredit, disgrace

Near Antonyms approve, countenance, endorse (also indorse), favor, recommend, sanction; commend, compliment, eulogize

Antonyms acclaim, applaud, exalt, extol (also extoll), glorify, laud, magnify, praise

2

to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent <the state's blood supplies were severely diminished by the two consecutive disasters>

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

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

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

3

to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually <the sound of the train diminished as our distance from it increased>

Synonyms abate, decline, de-escalate, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, lessen, let up, lower, moderate, pall, phase down, ratchet (down) also rachet (down), recede, relent, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, wane

Related Words compress, condense, constrict, contract; evaporate, fade (away), fritter (away), give out, melt (away), peter (out), tail (off), vanish; slacken, slow (down); alleviate, relax; flag, sink, weaken; cave (in), collapse, deflate

Near Antonyms appear, emerge, show up; blow up, distend, elongate, lengthen

Antonyms accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon (also bourgeon), enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mount, mushroom, pick up, rise, snowball, soar, swell, wax