downsize

verb

down·​size ˈdau̇n-ˌsīz 

downsized; downsizing; downsizes

transitive verb

1

: to reduce in size

especially : to design or produce in smaller size

2

: to fire (employees) for the purpose of downsizing a business

intransitive verb

: to undergo a reduction in size

Synonyms of downsize

• reduce
• decrease

Examples of downsize in a Sentence

They have downsized the car's engine in the new model.

The company is planning to downsize next year.

The company will be downsized next year.

Recent Examples on the Web

The oldest baby boomers turn 80 this year, and won’t typically start downsizing until their mid-80s, meaning the inventory constraints that have locked millennials out of the market have another decade to run. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 18 Aug. 2026

The deal is also a reminder that a growing number of empty retail spaces once operated by merchants that are defunct or downsizing are being picked up by a new generation of retailers and other types of companies. — George Avalos, Mercury News, 17 Aug. 2026

The 11-day, summertime Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises began Monday morning as scheduled and it wasn’t known which parts of the training were being downsized. — Hyung-Jin Kim, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026

Ada County’s largest roundabout was recently downsized after highway officials observed that certain types of crashes were on the rise. — Rose Evans august 16, Idaho Statesman, 16 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for downsize

• advise
• applies
• apprise
• arise
• assize
• baptize
• belies
• bitwise
• capsize
• chastise
• chordwise
• clockwise

Kids Definition

downsize

verb

down·​size ˈdau̇n-ˌsīz 

: to reduce in size

the company downsized its staff to cut costs