1
2

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb dwindle differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of dwindle are abate, decrease, diminish, lessen, and reduce. While all these words mean "to grow or make less," dwindle implies progressive lessening and is applied to things growing visibly smaller.

their provisions dwindled slowly

Where would abate be a reasonable alternative to dwindle?

While the synonyms abate and dwindle are close in meaning, abate implies a reducing of something excessive or oppressive in force or amount.

the storm abated

When could decrease be used to replace dwindle?

Although the words decrease and dwindle have much in common, decrease suggests a progressive decline in size, amount, numbers, or intensity.

slowly decreased the amount of pressure

When is diminish a more appropriate choice than dwindle?

The synonyms diminish and dwindle are sometimes interchangeable, but diminish emphasizes a perceptible loss and implies its subtraction from a total.

his visual acuity has diminished

When can lessen be used instead of dwindle?

In some situations, the words lessen and dwindle are roughly equivalent. However, lessen suggests a decline in amount rather than in number.

has been unable to lessen her debt

When might reduce be a better fit than dwindle?

The words reduce and dwindle are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, reduce implies a bringing down or lowering.

you must reduce your caloric intake

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 dwindle An already dwindling cabin community in Holy Jim Canyon was left with only seven homes standing after the first day of the fire. Michael Slaten, Oc Register, 10 Sep. 2025 On Tuesday, the Royals were dealt another blow to their dwindling postseason chances. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025 After months of summer heat, cooler temperatures are a welcome shift, but along with sweater weather and falling leaves come dwindling daylight hours. Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025 Admissions of fraud by the Fox sisters, numerous exposures of trickery and growing secularism meant that interest in communicating with ghosts was rapidly dwindling. Alice Vernon september 8, Literary Hub, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dwindle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dwindle
Verb
  • His team accused Whatley of distorting the facts to cover for his support of federal policies that reduced funding for local police.
    Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 11 Sep. 2025
  • Valentino has been streamlining its wholesale channel, reduced by about 20 percent in 2024, a strategy that continued in 2025 and that is expected to impact its year-end performance.
    Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • That transition will bring with it some advantages (the conflict of being a part of the Comcast empire is diminished) but also challenges.
    Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Many observers feel that the family’s power in Thailand is diminished, and its long dominant political machine could finally be out of steam.
    Helen Regan, CNN Money, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • They’re formulated with hydrating ingredients designed to decrease puffiness and help with dark circles.
    Isabel Garcia, PEOPLE, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Darrow says the orchard’s acreage has decreased by half, mirroring the state’s overall decline since 2000.
    Mark Dent, HubSpot, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The Royals are waiting for his back spasms to subside before getting him back into game action.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 9 Sep. 2025
  • By 2008, Americans were withdrawing, and combat deaths were subsiding to their lowest level since the start of the occupation.
    Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • These agreements phased out the majority of ozone-depleting substances.
    Dianne Plummer, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
  • When rates begin to drop, buyers who were also waiting will begin to buy, depleting inventory and ultimately driving prices even higher due to demand.
    Jason Peters, Kansas City Star, 12 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Ross, one of the Democrats to decline AIPAC money, is a relative centrist, according to a GovTrack scorecard, while Foushee and McGarvey, Kentucky’s only House Democrat, are in the middle of the pack ideologically.
    David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • That has declined over the years because of budget constraints.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 11 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The August jobs report, released last week, showed just 22,000 new positions, nearly all in healthcare and support services; other sectors have stagnated, amplifying concerns that job growth outside healthcare may soon vanish altogether as Medicaid cuts take effect in October.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Sep. 2025
  • And so dark celestial bodies vanished from the scientific imagination.
    Big Think, Big Think, 9 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • New residential property prices fell year-on-year during August in 65 out of 70 cities surveyed by the NBS, data also showed.
    Nino Paoli, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2025
  • Penske’s complaint argues that practice isn’t a fair exchange and has caused significant financial harm, with the company’s affiliate revenue falling by more than a third (as a result of Google’s AI Overviews co-opting traffic that might have otherwise gone to Penske outlets).
    Andy Meek, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dwindle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dwindle. Accessed 16 Sep. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on dwindle

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!