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
After the departure of Brigati and Cornish in the early 1970s, Danelli and Cavaliere carried on and released two more albums to diminishing returns before breaking up in 1971.
—
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 16 Dec. 2022
After all, once the fish has been thriving on land for four seasons, the fish-out-of-water plots yield diminishing returns.
—Joshua Alston, Variety, 26 Sep. 2022
Marketers may have gotten used to the idea of diminishing returns.
—Kris Persons, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2022
Xi's push to maintain zero COVID cases has kept China's death toll lower than in other large countries, but international public health officials see diminishing returns as the virus mutates and becomes more contagious.
—Peter Weber, The Week, 29 Nov. 2022
Public transit should be approached with caution, because the system quickly become an expensive money pit with diminishing returns as spending increases.
—Andrés Garcia, Baltimore Sun, 18 May 2022
No matter how good an idea is, a huge number of startups fail by spending their money with diminishing returns until investors cease to continue funding them.
—Yancey Spruill, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2021
This is essentially a shot-for-shot remake of the original, so obviously diminishing returns.
—Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 30 Oct. 2022
See More
Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 16 Dec. 2022
After all, once the fish has been thriving on land for four seasons, the fish-out-of-water plots yield diminishing returns.
—Joshua Alston, Variety, 26 Sep. 2022
Marketers may have gotten used to the idea of diminishing returns.
—Kris Persons, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2022
Xi's push to maintain zero COVID cases has kept China's death toll lower than in other large countries, but international public health officials see diminishing returns as the virus mutates and becomes more contagious.
—Peter Weber, The Week, 29 Nov. 2022
Public transit should be approached with caution, because the system quickly become an expensive money pit with diminishing returns as spending increases.
—Andrés Garcia, Baltimore Sun, 18 May 2022
No matter how good an idea is, a huge number of startups fail by spending their money with diminishing returns until investors cease to continue funding them.
—Yancey Spruill, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2021
This is essentially a shot-for-shot remake of the original, so obviously diminishing returns.
—Andy Hoglund, EW.com, 30 Oct. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'diminishing returns.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of diminishing returns was
in 1815
Dictionary Entries Near diminishing returns
Cite this Entry
“Diminishing returns.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diminishing%20returns. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.
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