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
• dishonoring
• rattling
• insulting
• humbling
• diminishing
• confusing
• minimizing
• sinking
• abasing
• fouling
• taking down
• demeaning
• criticizing
• chastening
• ridiculing
• discounting
• detracting
• smirching
• disparaging
• disconcerting
• belittling
• depreciating
• mortifying
• decrying
• confounding
• maligning
• condemning
• 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

Dangote Industries has yet to respond to enquiries from Semafor on whether the lowering of the minimum investment was a response to underwhelming participation among Kenyan retail investors. — semafor.com, 14 Oct. 2026

There was some preemptive dismissive talk about hair length, teen hysteria, the lowering of standards. — George Saunders, Vanity Fair, 22 Sep. 2026

Under questioning, Patel denied that the changes reflected a lowering of employment standards and insisted they were designed to prevent victims who'd been forced to engage in that conduct from being automatically disqualified. — Arkansas Online, 16 Sep. 2026

Under questioning, Patel denied that the changes reflected a lowering of employment standards and insisted they were designed to prevent victims who’d been forced to engage in that conduct from being automatically disqualified. — Eric Tucker, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Big sales were needed, and a lowering of the squad-cost base was also necessary. — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 24 July 2026

There are also quality of life improvements such as the lowering of the turn-signal volume (which didn't bother me, but was the first negative thing my wife said about the R2). — Anthony Karcz, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

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

Verb

Throughout the race, the pastor has emphasized lowering the cost of goods and sought to cast Marshall as closely aligned with an unpopular president. — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 27 Oct. 2026

At a time when public debt as a share of GDP has risen to its highest level since the pandemic, Lula cited his achievements in lowering poverty rates, as well as reducing unemployment, illiteracy, and deforestation to record lows. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 26 Oct. 2026

In the short run, the president hopes to boost Republican prospects in next week’s midterm elections by buying diesel fuel from Russia — a move aimed at lowering prices at the cost of bolstering Putin’s war economy. — Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026

The researchers also examined whether lowering laboratory reporting limits could reduce the gap between conventional calculations and model estimates. — Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026

Lewis George also wants to focus on affordable housing and lowering utility costs, her website says. — Irit Skulnik, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026

In addition to lowering blood sugar, some research has suggested that metformin may be associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events (such as heart attack or stroke). — Karen Berger, Verywell Health, 23 Oct. 2026

The Dolphins, who have lost their first five games and are in the midst of a roster retooling, are raising season ticket prices across the board in 2027, after not increasing prices for any seats (and lowering the price of some seats) this year. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026

For airlines, the larger plane offers a way to carry more passengers on a single flight, potentially lowering costs per seat. — Arkansas Online, 21 Oct. 2026