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

Michael Brown, senior research strategist at Pepperstone, pointed out that Trump’s attempts to talk down the market now have diminishing returns, with investors demanding actual evidence of concrete steps toward de-escalation. —Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 Mar. 2026

Last week, John Lithgow wrote his own poem for Colbert — to diminishing returns. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026

However, the twists of its premise soon end up souring it conceptually, resulting in rapidly-diminishing returns, with derivative formal flourishes that largely recall other, better films. —Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 18 Mar. 2026

Recall two years ago, the Hoosiers opted to keep Mike Woodson around despite diminishing returns and at the same time, Michigan fired Juwan Howard. —Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 11 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for diminishing returns

• adjourns
• concerns
• discerns
• downturns
• internes
• nocturnes
• sideburns
• churns
• earns
• ferns
• kerns
• learns