downsize

verb

down·​size ˈdau̇n-ˌsīz How to pronounce downsize (audio)
downsized; downsizing; downsizes
Synonyms of downsizenext

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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The district’s new downsizing effort is accounting for district-level positions that never got cut despite a decade of declining enrollment. Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2026 This contraction follows a series of recent downsizing efforts. Brian Gordon, Charlotte Observer, 24 Feb. 2026 The downsizing trend of the 1990s did not actually result in the pool of office jobs shrinking. Annie Lowrey, The Atlantic, 18 Feb. 2026 Over the years, the property has attracted a range of prominent tenants, including Denver bookseller Tattered Cover, which once occupied two floors before downsizing to the first floor in 2013 and ultimately leaving the building in 2020. Jessica Alvarado Gamez, Denver Post, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for downsize

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of downsize was in 1975

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Cite this Entry

“Downsize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/downsize. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.

Kids Definition

downsize

verb
down·​size ˈdau̇n-ˌsīz How to pronounce downsize (audio)
: to reduce in size
the company downsized its staff to cut costs

More from Merriam-Webster on downsize

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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