variants
or British minimise
minimizes; minimized; minimizing
1
: to make (something bad or not wanted) as small as possible
We need to minimize the chance of error.
The company will work to minimize costs.
2
: to treat or describe (something) as smaller or less important than it is
I don't want to minimize the contributions he has made to the company.
During the interview, she minimized her weaknesses and emphasized her strengths.
3
computers
: to make (a program's window) change to a very small form that takes almost no room on a computer's screen
Please minimize all open windows.
Cite this Entry
“Minimize.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/minimize. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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