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

But as the industry matured and table games were added, casinos downsized the number of machines on their floors. —Bryan P. Sears, Baltimore Sun, 25 Mar. 2026

People are also downsizing, possibly because kids are going off to college. —Neal Franklin, Dallas Morning News, 23 Mar. 2026

Ebel, 50, of Charlotte, North Carolina, says he was laid off from his engineering job in November 2023 due to downsizing. —Jennifer Liu anuz Thapa, CNBC, 23 Mar. 2026

Hospital executives are hinting of a second wave of layoffs as some downsize their operations while the federal government continues to close the funding spigot for health care programs in phases over the next several years. —Pat Maio, Oc Register, 22 Mar. 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