Synonyms of lowering

lowering 1 of 4

adjective

ˈlau̇-(ə-)riŋ 

variants also louring

1

as in hazy

covered over by clouds

the lowering sky made us think twice about going to the park

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hazy
• darkened
• clouded
• misty
• heavy
• gray
• murky
• overcast
• overclouded
• dull
• cloudy
• dark
• bleak
• beclouded
• blackened
• dimmed
• obscured
• dim
• black
• hazed
• dusky
• obscure
• dulled
• overshadowed
• darksome
• dismal
• bedimmed
• sullen
• somber
• sepulchral
• cheerless
• gloomy
• befogged
• funereal
• desolate
• dreary
• glum
• drear
• sunless

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• clear
• cloudless
• sunlit
• sunny
• dazzling
• brilliant
• sunshiny
• radiant
• illuminated
• shiny
• lit
• lightened
• brightened
• illumined

2

as in stern

harsh and threatening in manner or appearance

we chose our next words carefully, mindful of the lowering expression on his face

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stern
• intimidating
• gruff
• fierce
• forbidding
• grim
• rugged
• severe
• hostile
• rough
• bleak
• hardened
• stark
• cold
• dour
• steely
• stubborn
• dark
• austere
• flinty
• ungentle
• somber
• solemn
• fixed
• intent
• black
• determined
• inimical
• stiff
• bound
• steadfast
• adamant
• resolved
• rigid
• resolute
• serious
• unfriendly
• unflinching
• inhospitable
• unrelenting
• uncompromising
• purposeful
• unbending
• firm
• unsympathetic
• set
• obstinate
• moody
• willful
• unchangeable
• immovable
• unyielding
• hard
• implacable
• inflexible
• obdurate
• immutable
• ironhanded
• surly
• melancholy
• sullen
• grave
• hardheaded
• brooding
• gloomy
• sulky
• cheerless
• morose
• melancholic
• mulish
• staid
• joyless
• unsmiling
• sober
• weighty
• glum
• sobersided
• humorless
• self-willed

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• mild
• gentle
• benign
• soft
• easy
• soothing
• tender
• benignant
• meek
• quiet
• mellow
• bland
• nonintimidating
• pleasant
• sweet
• tranquil
• agreeable
• cheerful
• pleasing
• bright
• inviting
• happy
• glad
• sunny
• silly
• merry
• mirthful
• frivolous
• lighthearted
• playful
• goofy
• giddy
• flighty
• scatterbrained
• harebrained
• light-headed
• featherbrained

lowering

2 of 4

noun

as in decrease

Related Words

• decrease
• reduction
• diminution
• shrinkage
• decrement
• dip
• sag
• diminishment
• deflation
• slump
• drop
• deterioration
• degradation
• downturn
• falloff
• loss
• drop-off
• ebb
• abatement
• slip
• downtrend
• decline
• declination
• downgrade
• eclipse
• dark age
• devolution
• degeneration
• degeneracy
• downslide
• downfall
• spoiling
• sunset
• decadence
• fall
• decay
• disintegration
• nadir
• crumbling
• rotting
• lessening
• de-escalation
• declension
• decomposition
• dégringolade
• dissolution
• breakup
• descent
• depreciation
• debasement
• abasement
• destruction
• decimation
• ruin
• demolition
• havoc
• ruination
• demolishment
• desolation

Dissimilar Words

• development
• growth
• evolution
• advancement
• increase
• flowering
• restoration
• renewal
• addition
• raise
• revitalization
• enhancement
• gain
• increment
• boost
• augmentation
• flourishing
• rise
• blossoming
• supplement
• heightening
• accrual
• accretion
• ascent
• addendum
• upswing

lowering

3 of 4

verb (1)

present participle of lower

1

as in throwing

to cause to fall intentionally or unintentionally

workmen slowly lowered the heavy statue into place

Synonyms & Similar Words

• throwing
• dropping
• flattening
• throwing down
• depressing
• toppling
• leveling
• sinking
• fumbling
• striking down
• plopping
• knocking over
• submerging
• knocking down
• flooring
• immersing
• bungling
• plunking down
• bobbling
• foozling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• raising
• lifting
• picking up

2

as in plunging

to go to a lower level especially abruptly

prices of the new type of televisions lowered considerably as competition and sales increased

Synonyms & Similar Words

• plunging
• falling
• declining
• dipping
• tumbling
• dropping
• decreasing
• plummeting
• sinking
• descending
• skidding
• crashing
• diving
• diminishing
• cratering
• lessening
• nose-diving
• retreating
• subsiding
• moderating
• dying (down)
• drooping
• dwindling
• waning
• ebbing
• tapering off
• abating
• receding
• letting up
• de-escalating

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rising
• lifting
• mounting
• ascending
• arising
• increasing
• soaring
• growing
• expanding
• building
• spiking
• upping
• swelling
• enlarging
• intensifying
• escalating
• accumulating
• burgeoning
• picking up
• mushrooming
• waxing
• snowballing
• ballooning

3

as in reducing

to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent

decided to lower his career ambitions to something more achievable

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reducing
• decreasing
• diminishing
• depleting
• minimizing
• easing
• lessening
• slashing
• denting
• dwindling
• downsizing
• cutting
• dropping
• compressing
• knocking down
• abating
• downscaling
• shortening
• shrinking
• de-escalating
• trimming
• curtailing
• paring
• contracting
• condensing
• modifying
• cutting down
• constricting
• clipping
• truncating
• modulating
• nicking
• whittling
• abridging
• cutting back
• abbreviating
• pruning
• retrenching
• cropping
• docking
• moderating
• deflating
• qualifying

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increasing
• raising
• expanding
• augmenting
• enlarging
• boosting
• escalating
• amplifying
• swelling
• extending
• inflating
• lengthening
• prolonging
• dilating
• blowing up
• adding (to)
• enhancing
• supplementing
• complementing
• aggrandizing
• intensifying
• distending
• heightening
• elongating
• protracting
• redoubling

4

as in decreasing

to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

the noise of the jet engine lowered as the plane disappeared in the distance

Synonyms & Similar Words

• decreasing
• diminishing
• subsiding
• declining
• falling
• easing
• shrinking
• vanishing
• lessening
• moderating
• tapering
• ebbing
• weakening
• dwindling
• dropping (off)
• waning
• receding
• dying (away or down or out)
• draining (away)
• falling away
• tapering off
• relenting
• ratcheting (down)
• remitting
• evaporating
• racheting (down)
• letting up
• abating
• phasing down
• compressing
• palling
• de-escalating
• collapsing
• alleviating
• contracting
• condensing
• melting (away)
• constricting
• slackening
• fading (away)
• slowing (down)
• relaxing
• tailing (off)
• frittering (away)
• petering (out)
• giving out
• flagging
• sinking
• deflating
• caving (in)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• increasing
• rising
• growing
• expanding
• building
• mounting
• swelling
• enlarging
• intensifying
• soaring
• escalating
• accumulating
• burgeoning
• emerging
• picking up
• appearing
• mushrooming
• waxing
• snowballing
• ballooning
• showing up
• lengthening
• blowing up
• elongating
• distending

5

as in humiliating

to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes

how could you lower yourself by passing off someone else's work as your own?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• humiliating
• discrediting
• degrading
• embarrassing
• shaming
• disgracing
• debasing
• cheapening
• rattling
• dishonoring
• insulting
• diminishing
• humbling
• confusing
• minimizing
• sinking
• abasing
• fouling
• taking down
• demeaning
• criticizing
• chastening
• ridiculing
• discounting
• detracting
• smirching
• disparaging
• disconcerting
• belittling
• depreciating
• mortifying
• decrying
• confounding
• condemning
• maligning
• slandering
• discountenancing
• writing off
• discomfiting
• flustering
• castigating
• defaming
• defiling
• fazing
• affronting
• denouncing
• nonplussing
• libeling
• abashing
• crying down
• putting down
• censuring
• bad-mouthing
• damning
• execrating
• reprehending
• reprobating

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• elevating
• exalting
• citing
• honoring
• celebrating
• praising
• recognizing
• cheering
• aggrandizing
• boasting
• extolling
• saluting
• acknowledging
• commending
• complimenting
• deifying
• decorating
• congratulating
• applauding
• hailing
• canonizing
• touting
• lauding
• acclaiming
• eulogizing
• raising
• highlighting
• lifting
• promoting
• advancing
• boosting
• spotlighting
• magnifying
• upgrading
• playing up
• glorifying
• enshrining
• feting
• dignifying
• ennobling
• enthroning
• uplifting
• idealizing
• romanticizing
• enskying

6

as in sinking

to diminish the price or value of

over time, inflation lowers incomes and savings in terms of actual buying power

Synonyms & Similar Words

• reducing
• sinking
• attenuating
• depressing
• devaluing
• downgrading
• cheapening
• shrinking
• devaluating
• depreciating
• writing down
• writing off
• marking down
• breaking
• debasing
• lessening
• demonetizing
• compressing
• underestimating
• undervaluing
• moderating
• underrating
• dwindling
• contracting
• downsizing
• underpricing
• abridging
• deflating
• de-escalating

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• enhancing
• upgrading
• appreciating
• increasing
• inflating
• marking up
• bloating
• blowing up
• adding
• raising
• extending
• expanding
• maximizing
• augmenting
• overestimating
• boosting
• enlarging
• swelling
• multiplying
• escalating
• heightening
• amplifying
• compounding
• dilating
• overvaluing
• upping
• overrating
• overpricing
• ballooning
• aggrandizing

lowering

4 of 4

verb (2)

variants also louring

present participle of lower

1

as in darkening

to take on a gloomy or forbidding look

the sky lowered overhead, threatening a fierce thunderstorm

Synonyms & Similar Words

• darkening
• frowning
• staring
• glowering
• raging
• scowling
• glooming
• glaring
• threatening
• steaming
• brooding
• petting
• angering
• pouting
• intimidating
• sulking
• bristling
• moping
• menacing
• fuming
• storming

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• brightening
• lightening
• cheering (up)
• perking (up)

2

as in staring

to look with anger or disapproval

the motorist lowered at the jerk who had cut in front of her

Synonyms & Similar Words

• staring
• glaring
• scowling
• frowning
• gazing
• glowering
• looking daggers
• glooming
• gaping
• ogling
• grimacing
• snarling
• sneering
• sulking
• pouting
• growling
• sniggering

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• smiling
• grinning
• beaming

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of lowering

Noun

Other research has shown the popular drugs might reduce heart disease and breast cancer that may be related to the weight loss, or a lowering of inflammation. — Stephanie Stahl, CBS News, 18 June 2026

That includes Germany’s temporary lowering of fuel taxes, which runs through June 30. — David McHugh, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2026

However, most others require a lowering of expectations and full use of something almost all humans lack — patience. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 28 Apr. 2026

Part of the lowering of the times is about improvements in training, nutrition and technique. — ABC News, 26 Apr. 2026

There was also a significant lowering in systolic and diastolic blood pressure for those aged 60 or older. — Vanessa Caceres, Verywell Health, 31 Mar. 2026

This seems to us like a quiet lowering of expectations for Illinois students amid broader concerns about declining academic standards. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026

Higher-dose patients with both obesity and type 2 diabetes saw similar lowering of blood sugar compared to the lower dose, the agency noted. — Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 24 Mar. 2026

The meeting marked a lowering of the temperature for discussions around the city’s license plate-reader system. — Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 11 Mar. 2026

Verb

Kovich said attracting new development will ultimately be key to lowering rates further by spreading the cost of the water system across more customers. — Nina Burns, CBS News, 14 July 2026

Moene argues that this wage compression promotes innovation and dynamism by boosting the profitability of growth industries and by lowering profits in lagging industries. — Nicholas D. Kristof, Mercury News, 14 July 2026

Researchers told the Alzheimer’s meeting that an experimental cholesterol-lowering drug called obicetrapib might do more than help heart health. — Lauran Neergaard, Fortune, 14 July 2026

In general, Fed officials hope that higher rates will lead to less borrowing and spending, thereby lowering inflationary pressures. — Zach Halaschak, The Washington Examiner, 14 July 2026

In France, youth sports are heavily subsidized by local municipalities and community groups, substantially lowering the barrier for entry. — Kevin Baxter, Twin Cities, 13 July 2026

In France, youth sports are heavily subsidized by local municipalities and community groups, substantially lowering the barrier for entry. — Los Angeles Times, 12 July 2026

The state and city are still pursuing more ways to increase housing density and streamline development regulations in hopes of lowering costs. — Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 12 July 2026

Researchers are already exploring approaches such as lowering doses, taking medicines less frequently (like monthly or quarterly), or switching from injections to pills. — Annika Kim Constantino, CNBC, 11 July 2026