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
The law of diminishing returns doesn’t care about any of that.
—
Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
But none of the stories here feels potent or stirring enough on its own to work in tandem with the others, and neither a terrific pop-up appearance by Penélope Cruz nor a daft one by Glenn Close can keep so much frenzied crosscutting from reaching the point of diminishing returns.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 May 2026
And so a law of diminishing returns applies to this lighter and more elusive film, for all its bright, ephemeral pleasures.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 May 2026
Though not everyone will jump on board, aficionados of the panoply of Nightmare on Halloween the 13th knock-offs – and the diminishing returns that followed – will know the references and get the affectionate, tongue-in-cheek humor.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 12 May 2026
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Nell Derick Debevoise Dewey, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
But none of the stories here feels potent or stirring enough on its own to work in tandem with the others, and neither a terrific pop-up appearance by Penélope Cruz nor a daft one by Glenn Close can keep so much frenzied crosscutting from reaching the point of diminishing returns.
—Justin Chang, New Yorker, 27 May 2026
And so a law of diminishing returns applies to this lighter and more elusive film, for all its bright, ephemeral pleasures.
—Guy Lodge, Variety, 19 May 2026
Though not everyone will jump on board, aficionados of the panoply of Nightmare on Halloween the 13th knock-offs – and the diminishing returns that followed – will know the references and get the affectionate, tongue-in-cheek humor.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 12 May 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 5 Jun. 2026.
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