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

This Editorial Board has long advocated for an overall lowering of taxes across the board. — The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 14 July 2026

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

Verb

Researchers believe that the healthy fats and antioxidants in olive oil may reduce the risk of diabetes by lowering cholesterol and blood lipid levels and increasing insulin sensitivity. — Brittany Lubeck, Verywell Health, 21 July 2026

Recently, some directors have discussed using reserve funds to offset the operating budget and lowering our funded reserve level. — Kelly G. Richardson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 July 2026

Systems Designed for Possibility The systems introduced in Morpho’s desktop UV printer are each aimed at lowering technical barriers while expanding creative possibilities. — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 20 July 2026

The changes were due in part to a cold front moving in that is lowering humidity Sunday afternoon and evening, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Adam Douty explained on the prediction service’s website. — Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 19 July 2026

This once daily oral tablet is capable of lowering your LDL cholesterol, also known as your 'bad cholesterol,’ by nearly 60%. — Robert Glatter, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Breessen predicts the smoke will lessen by the time thunderstorms roll through, lowering the chance of dirty rain. — The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Sun, 17 July 2026

In 2018, the state tightened its magazine restrictions, lowering the legal capacity from 15 rounds to 10. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 17 July 2026

But even at the highest doses, many people need additional help lowering their LDL, or bad, cholesterol enough to meet medical guidelines. — Matthew Perrone, Fortune, 16 July 2026