as in reducing
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
1
as in minimizing
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
tends to diminish any rival's accomplishments with snide remarks
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decreasing
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent
the state's blood supplies were severely diminished by the two consecutive disasters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in subsiding
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the sound of the train diminished as our distance from it increased
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of diminishing
Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
Classic challenges like the talent show and Snatch Game have had diminishing returns.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2026
As the war dragged on, Israel’s military operations suffered diminishing returns, a problem compounded by the accumulating damage to its international reputation.
—Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2025
Whether this trilogy represents a diminishing or a refinement depends on one’s patience for the joke.
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
The ever-improving forecast calls for diminishing chances of rain next weekend, setting the stage for a strong grand finale to Del Mar’s 12th fall meeting.
—Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2025
Doing the same routine over and over will likely yield diminishing returns, while raising the chances of boredom or a repetitive-use injury.
—Jamie Ducharme, Health, 28 Oct. 2025
Volpe was a focus of both media sessions, as Boone and Cashman detailed the extent of his shoulder problem and were both asked why the team stuck with him as the everyday shortstop despite the injury and his diminishing play.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Organizations with a poor data foundation see diminishing returns from technology investments, while those with superior data infrastructure experience accelerating returns.
—Tammy Hawes, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
The committee’s Democratic members savaged Rubio for diminishing America’s global role; the meeting grew so rancorous that Senator Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho who was Rubio’s closest friend in the Senate, had to repeatedly bang his gavel to bring order.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Gold futures, which are seen as a hedge against diminishing Fed independence, jumped 2% in early trading.
—John Melloy,yun Li, CNBC, 11 Jan. 2026
Compassionate Venus faces expansive Jupiter across your 4th House of Inner Needs and 10th House of Respect, urging choices that protect your home without diminishing your reputation.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
Regardless of how much weight was shed, those diminishing upsides were faster and more pronounced in people who stopped taking the weight-management medications compared to people who stopped participating in regimens such as the Diabetes Prevention Program.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 8 Jan. 2026
The logic of power politics or great power rivalry is further diminishing the appetite of major powers for peacemaking.
—Galip Dalay, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
Before the night was out, Germans began chipping away at the barrier, carrying off chunks of one of the symbols of the diminishing Iron Curtain.
—Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 9 Nov. 2025
Business leaders say that such policies risk accelerating an exodus of companies, diminishing the city’s commercial tax base, and ultimately affecting services and jobs essential to millions of New Yorkers.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
But efforts to mitigate human harms—restricting harvests, remodeling dams, breeding salmon in hatcheries—are yielding diminishing returns.
—Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, 7 Jan. 2026
Classic challenges like the talent show and Snatch Game have had diminishing returns.
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2026
As the war dragged on, Israel’s military operations suffered diminishing returns, a problem compounded by the accumulating damage to its international reputation.
—Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2025
Whether this trilogy represents a diminishing or a refinement depends on one’s patience for the joke.
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
The ever-improving forecast calls for diminishing chances of rain next weekend, setting the stage for a strong grand finale to Del Mar’s 12th fall meeting.
—Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Nov. 2025
Doing the same routine over and over will likely yield diminishing returns, while raising the chances of boredom or a repetitive-use injury.
—Jamie Ducharme, Health, 28 Oct. 2025
Volpe was a focus of both media sessions, as Boone and Cashman detailed the extent of his shoulder problem and were both asked why the team stuck with him as the everyday shortstop despite the injury and his diminishing play.
—Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Organizations with a poor data foundation see diminishing returns from technology investments, while those with superior data infrastructure experience accelerating returns.
—Tammy Hawes, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
Verb
But while the statement is getting a lot of attention, the far bigger story in Ottawa is the team’s diminishing playoff odds.
—Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 12 Jan. 2026
The committee’s Democratic members savaged Rubio for diminishing America’s global role; the meeting grew so rancorous that Senator Jim Risch, a Republican from Idaho who was Rubio’s closest friend in the Senate, had to repeatedly bang his gavel to bring order.
—Dexter Filkins, New Yorker, 12 Jan. 2026
Gold futures, which are seen as a hedge against diminishing Fed independence, jumped 2% in early trading.
—John Melloy,yun Li, CNBC, 11 Jan. 2026
Compassionate Venus faces expansive Jupiter across your 4th House of Inner Needs and 10th House of Respect, urging choices that protect your home without diminishing your reputation.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
Regardless of how much weight was shed, those diminishing upsides were faster and more pronounced in people who stopped taking the weight-management medications compared to people who stopped participating in regimens such as the Diabetes Prevention Program.
—Ed Silverman, STAT, 8 Jan. 2026
The logic of power politics or great power rivalry is further diminishing the appetite of major powers for peacemaking.
—Galip Dalay, Time, 6 Jan. 2026
Before the night was out, Germans began chipping away at the barrier, carrying off chunks of one of the symbols of the diminishing Iron Curtain.
—Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 9 Nov. 2025
Business leaders say that such policies risk accelerating an exodus of companies, diminishing the city’s commercial tax base, and ultimately affecting services and jobs essential to millions of New Yorkers.
—Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diminishing
Noun
-
The long answer is that Estée Lauder’s Diamond Moisturizer is hydrating (as all moisturizers should be), firming, tightening, wrinkle-reducing, age spot-fading, and texture-smoothing.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Moisturizing, soothing, and redness reducing, Erborian’s CC Cream is the ultimate cult-favorite beauty product.—
Beatrice Zocchi,
Vogue,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
That pattern — local districts rejecting or minimizing antisemitism complaints, followed by state reversals and orders to change course — appears again and again across the Bay Area in California Department of Education documents obtained by Bay Area News Group.—
Molly Gibbs,
Mercury News,
12 Jan. 2026
-
This higher specific impulse could dramatically reduce transit times to Mars, minimizing astronauts’ exposure to microgravity and cosmic radiation, both of which pose health risks over long periods.—
Chris Young,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
For women, this meant decreasing intake to about 400 to 600 calories three days per week, while men reduced calories to around 500 to 700.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
9 Jan. 2026
-
An expensive habit with a decreasing ROI.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Beyond the curse of high expectations, other headwinds that weighed on Eaton's shares appear to be subsiding, including capacity expansion.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
31 Dec. 2025
-
Hurricane conditions are occurring within the warning area in Cuba but expected to begin subsiding this afternoon.—
MIAMI HERALD HURRICANE BOT,
Miami Herald,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Managers have tried for years to get control of the runaway meeting train by tightening agendas and shortening sessions.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
30 Dec. 2025
-
This means brushing a neutral oil or vegetable shortening on the cast iron and baking it upside down in a 375-degree oven.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
23 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Confidence can tip into defensiveness, so your challenge has a lot to do with asserting boundaries without emotional withdrawal and honoring your needs without dismissing others.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
5 Jan. 2026
-
The president spoke little about democracy in Venezuela, dismissing a potential role for its longstanding democratic opposition in running the country in the immediate aftermath of the operation.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
According to the company, the declining profits stemmed from low drug reimbursement rates and slow retail sales.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
9 Jan. 2026
-
After all, there are signs that the economy is improving (unemployment and inflation are declining), but after the economic struggles of recent years, and with household debt still high, an additional financing source won't hurt, either.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
While appearing radical at the time, the revamping of scientific boards to include more industry representatives, the undoing of power plant rules and the lessening of enforcement hobbled but did not completely undo the agency.—
Barbara Kates-Garnick,
The Conversation,
26 Aug. 2025
-
The good news is that GPT-5 will presumably be somewhat less than gushingly friendly, though the lessening might be variable and of a mixed result.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Diminishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diminishing. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share