1
as in reducing
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent
the long winter dwindled our supply of firewood to practically nothing
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in decreasing
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
our hopes dwindled as the reports of more casualties came in
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dwindling
Cubans already face constant blackouts and long lines at gas stations from a dwindling supply of fuel.
—
Uriel Blanco, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
As parents determined to maintain a strong front, Astrit Kabashi and Flonja Kodheli give performances of exquisite understatement in a quietly wrenching story of dwindling hope and mounting tension.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 31 Jan. 2026
Florida school districts have seen dwindling enrollment since 2024, owing, in part, to immigrants leaving the state or fearing being detained by ICE.
—Edwidge Danticat, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026
Threatened by rapidly dwindling sea ice and habitat loss as the world warms, over two-thirds of polar bears could go extinct by 2050.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 Jan. 2026
This was a lucrative source of cash for Tesla, and one that is now dwindling away.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 28 Jan. 2026
That market cap dwindling would have a big effect all around the economy.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Getting the first 3 without using a timeout was key, and the Celtics needed to get it extremely quickly because the clock was dwindling and would still run while the shot was in the air.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026
There are dwindling options available at quarterback in the transfer portal.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2026
Uriel Blanco, CNN Money, 31 Jan. 2026
As parents determined to maintain a strong front, Astrit Kabashi and Flonja Kodheli give performances of exquisite understatement in a quietly wrenching story of dwindling hope and mounting tension.
—Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 31 Jan. 2026
Florida school districts have seen dwindling enrollment since 2024, owing, in part, to immigrants leaving the state or fearing being detained by ICE.
—Edwidge Danticat, New Yorker, 30 Jan. 2026
Threatened by rapidly dwindling sea ice and habitat loss as the world warms, over two-thirds of polar bears could go extinct by 2050.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 Jan. 2026
This was a lucrative source of cash for Tesla, and one that is now dwindling away.
—Camila Domonoske, NPR, 28 Jan. 2026
That market cap dwindling would have a big effect all around the economy.
—Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Getting the first 3 without using a timeout was key, and the Celtics needed to get it extremely quickly because the clock was dwindling and would still run while the shot was in the air.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 27 Jan. 2026
There are dwindling options available at quarterback in the transfer portal.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 12 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dwindling
Verb
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Supporters of the idea say a combined utility would be able to cut costs by reducing the number of employees.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
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The proposal also establishes more predictable timelines for preparing environmental impact statements, reducing delays and providing greater certainty for both developers and financing partners.—
Carlina Rivera,
New York Daily News,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The biggest shift in the financial model of newspapers that has occurred in the transition from print to digital is a decreasing reliance on advertising and an increasing reliance on direct payments from subscribers.—
Hanna Rosin,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
-
The formulation hits all the targets my tired eyes crave—brightening dark circles, decreasing puffiness, and reducing the look of fine lines.—
Cathy Nelson,
InStyle,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In October, strikers Sophie Roman Haug and Marie Hobinger sustained anterior cruciate ligament injuries within weeks of each other, depleting an already shallow front line.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
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Cyborgs and Centaurs demonstrate that humans can work effectively with AI while building, rather than depleting, their expertise.—
François Candelon,
Fortune,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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From there, steamboats of diminishing sizes could make their way up the Mississippi, Ohio and Missouri rivers and smaller ones like the Tennessee, Arkansas and even the Wabash.—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
1 Feb. 2026
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Which wouldn’t be such a bad outcome for most documentary films — arguably moviedom’s most beleaguered genre due to diminishing audience appetite at the multiplex level.—
Chris Lee,
Vulture,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
-
Sausalito crews set up a 4-inch pump near Gate 5 Road in the city’s northernmost neighborhood, where the grounds have been subsiding.—
Steven Rosenfeld,
Mercury News,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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According to the Iowa Cancer Registry, lung cancer incidence rates are declining slower in Iowa than in other states.—
Cami Koons,
Iowa Capital Dispatch,
5 Feb. 2026
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Measles-vaccination rates have been steadily declining for several years; since last January, the country has logged its two largest measles epidemics in more than three decades.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That legacy hasn’t disappeared, but it is increasingly strained under the weight of rising needs and shrinking staff capacity.—
Patrick Mahoney,
Sun Sentinel,
1 Feb. 2026
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But shares in open float have been shrinking.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Take that, panic over vanishing attention spans!—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2026
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Federal aid is expected to plunge dramatically in the next few years, particularly involving Medicaid and nutrition assistance, and many Connecticut lawmakers want to supplant some of those vanishing grants from Washington with local dollars.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dwindling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dwindling. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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