as in reducing
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1
as in minimizing
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
tends to diminish any rival's accomplishments with snide remarks
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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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of diminishing
Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
The tech itself is also starting to show diminishing returns with each new model release.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 4 Feb. 2026
Yet Trump’s attacks and distractions may be yielding diminishing returns beyond his base.
—Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 29 Jan. 2026
The Hyperion Avenue store is a throwback to a time of individualized service in an era of big-box anonymity and diminishing expertise.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Studies on perfectionism show that the pursuit of flawlessness often yields diminishing returns while increasing stress.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
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
Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2026
Read the story » More Top Stories David Remnick speaks with Conan O’Brien about prepping for the Oscars, the diminishing relevance of late-night TV, and the loss of his close friends Rob and Michele Reiner.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2026
Even after the very slow return, ever-diminishing financial resources meant that the number of productions was vastly reduced, as was their scale.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
That disparity traces back to the country’s 11-year civil war and a broken health system with diminishing maternal care.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2026
The country’s 11-year civil war and a broken health system with diminishing maternal care drove this crisis.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
All there is to do, sometimes, is know in your heart of hearts that a nuanced piece of literature and a provocative and deviant piece of pop culture can exist alongside each other without one diminishing the other.
—Pamela Avila, USA Today, 15 Feb. 2026
The airport’s current name is widely recognized and respected, and altering it would only create confusion while diminishing the local identity.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026
Additionally, the diminishing profit disparity is seen when evaluating a seller’s gain as a portion of the purchase price.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
While tech giants pour billions into ever larger training runs, Hooker argues the approach is seeing diminishing returns.
—Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 4 Feb. 2026
The tech itself is also starting to show diminishing returns with each new model release.
—Victor Tangermann, Futurism, 4 Feb. 2026
Yet Trump’s attacks and distractions may be yielding diminishing returns beyond his base.
—Chris Smith, Vanity Fair, 29 Jan. 2026
The Hyperion Avenue store is a throwback to a time of individualized service in an era of big-box anonymity and diminishing expertise.
—James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Studies on perfectionism show that the pursuit of flawlessness often yields diminishing returns while increasing stress.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026
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
Verb
Our light is now diminishing from a vibrant flame to only a flicker of light, and the world is watching our demise.
—Letters To The Editor, Hartford Courant, 20 Feb. 2026
Read the story » More Top Stories David Remnick speaks with Conan O’Brien about prepping for the Oscars, the diminishing relevance of late-night TV, and the loss of his close friends Rob and Michele Reiner.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2026
Even after the very slow return, ever-diminishing financial resources meant that the number of productions was vastly reduced, as was their scale.
—Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Feb. 2026
That disparity traces back to the country’s 11-year civil war and a broken health system with diminishing maternal care.
—Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 17 Feb. 2026
The country’s 11-year civil war and a broken health system with diminishing maternal care drove this crisis.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 17 Feb. 2026
All there is to do, sometimes, is know in your heart of hearts that a nuanced piece of literature and a provocative and deviant piece of pop culture can exist alongside each other without one diminishing the other.
—Pamela Avila, USA Today, 15 Feb. 2026
The airport’s current name is widely recognized and respected, and altering it would only create confusion while diminishing the local identity.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 15 Feb. 2026
Additionally, the diminishing profit disparity is seen when evaluating a seller’s gain as a portion of the purchase price.
—Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 10 Feb. 2026
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
-
Meanwhile, a low-luster finish gives paint a subtle sheen that wears off over time, while minimizing overall fading because the paint is better protected from the elements.—
Shagun Khare,
Martha Stewart,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The tension settings stretch and evenly distribute airflow while minimizing heat exposure.—
Essence Wiley,
InStyle,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The bill prohibits cities and counties from decreasing funding for public safety, which representatives from the local governments say isn’t possible.—
Alexandra Glorioso,
Miami Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The goal is to minimize traffic spillover onto surrounding streets while providing more reliable travel times for people in cars and freight trucks and decreasing travel times for buses.—
Frederick Melo,
Twin Cities,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Police said the ice conditions subsiding and the low tide conditions made for a much easier search, which involved multiple drones.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Though snowy conditions are subsiding, the impacts of the storm will linger in the coming days—especially as many regions that saw snowfall are beginning the week with single-digit temperatures.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Using a pastry blender, cut in butter and shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.—
Holly Riordan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Feb. 2026
-
Experts have predicted that AI systems capable of autonomously improving themselves, otherwise known as recursive self-improvement, might vastly increase the speed at which AI development takes place, potentially shortening years of complex research into weeks or even days.—
Jared Perlo,
NBC news,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
But dismissing or minimizing disappointment can unintentionally teach children to ignore or suppress emotions.—
Lauryn Higgins,
Parents,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Ignoring or outright dismissing Black parents who seek options is not progress — or progressive.—
Darius Jones,
New York Daily News,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has broken with custom by declining to invite all governors to the traditional White House meeting and dinner.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Today, magnet programs have become a general recruitment strategy in a school system with declining enrollment.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Feb. 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 23 Feb. 2026.
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