lowering 1 of 4

adjective

ˈlau̇-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce lowering (audio)
variants also louring
Definition of loweringnext
1
as in hazy
covered over by clouds the lowering sky made us think twice about going to the park

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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

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lowering

2 of 4

noun

as in decrease

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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

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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

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3
as in reducing
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent decided to lower his career ambitions to something more achievable

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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

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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?

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6
as in sinking
to diminish the price or value of over time, inflation lowers incomes and savings in terms of actual buying power

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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

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2
as in staring
to look with anger or disapproval the motorist lowered at the jerk who had cut in front of her

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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 lowering
Noun
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 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
Verb
Refillable in-room toiletries, guest recycling, and electric car charging stations also contribute to lowering the property’s footprint. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 Employers focused on improving participation, lowering fees, expanding investment choices and helping employees make better decisions. — Jeff Stevenson, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026 Though Europe was most vocal in its concerns, Goldman Sachs economists warned a US diesel ban risked lowering GDP across Latin America by around 1%. — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 2 Oct. 2026 The 407-foot rocket was designed from the start to be fully reusable, a key to lowering launch costs. — Arkansas Online, 29 Sep. 2026 Creating a market mechanism where compatibility is the price of admission forces traditional defense companies to compete with agile startups, ultimately lowering unit costs and guaranteeing better integration for the entire allied enterprise. — Dan Driscoll, Foreign Affairs, 28 Sep. 2026 The Telegraph estimates that lowering the threshhold would make one in four homes in the capital eligible for mansion tax. — Marc Shoffman, TheWeek, 28 Sep. 2026 By halting those exports, the thinking goes, domestic diesel prices would drop due to a flood of fresh supply, lowering costs for farmers, commercial trucking companies and thousands of other businesses that rely on the fuel. — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 28 Sep. 2026 The 407-foot rocket was designed from the start to be fully reusable — a key to lowering launch costs. — Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 28 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lowering
  1. hazy
  2. stern
  3. decrease
  4. throwing
  5. plunging
  6. reducing
  7. decreasing
  8. humiliating
Adjective
  • But the numbers that could give clarity on disabled kids in foster care are harder to come by — partly because of the sometimes hazy definitions of disability but also because of the failure of child welfare providers to even count them.
    — Joseph Shapiro, NPR, 30 Sep. 2026
  • As the show became a cultural juggernaut, some criticized its vigilante justice and the hazy line between law enforcement and journalism.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 26 Sep. 2026
Definition of hazy
Adjective
  • As the Pacific Princess’ Captain Stubing, Gavin MacLeod played the stern yet beloved authority figure better than many might’ve expected, given how closely he’d become associated with comedy by that point.
    — Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Sep. 2026
  • The new trailer for Paper Tiger transfers this dynamic onto the scene of a rehabilitation project for New York City’s Gowanus Canal, resulting in far graver consequences than a stern talking-to from mom.
    — Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of stern
Noun
  • The decrease in gut bacteria diversity was tied to expansions in populations of certain bad actors, such as the bacteria Enterococcus faecium.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Kansas City dropped 221,703 to 1,527,098 and Arizona, Atlanta, Cincinnati, Colorado and Philadelphia all experienced decreases of 100,000 to 200,000.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of decrease
Verb
  • Its new Home Cinema LS5000, LS6000, and LS7500 home theater projectors join the existing LS11000 flagship, with all four capable of throwing images as large as 300 inches.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 28 Sep. 2026
  • There’s a dictator, and that’s the guy that’s throwing the yellow hankies.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of throwing
Verb
  • Pilots have compared landing on the short runway, with either side plunging straight down off the side of a vertical cliff, to landing on an aircraft carrier.
    — Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
  • And this week, our story about the dwindling water levels in Lake Powell, the country’s second-largest reservoir, shows breathtaking expanses of dry canyon plunging to a shrinking, narrow ribbon of teal green.
    — Stephanie Hanes, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of plunging
Verb
  • The answer may be different if the goal is reducing overall homelessness, helping people into the job market, spending as little taxpayer money as possible, improving health outcomes — or just keeping people alive.
    — Laura Ungar, Los Angeles Times, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Like morphine and fentanyl, cychlorphine locks onto the brain’s mu-opioid receptors, reducing pain and increasing euphoria.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of reducing
Verb
  • Adjustable mattresses were meant to make some of that guesswork easier, but the category has long been associated with airbeds that change firmness by increasing or decreasing pressure inside the mattress.
    — Malana VanTyler, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026
  • Standard gas pressure spreads out across the rock formations, homogenizing subterranean forces and actually decreasing the risk of the fault slipping over time.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of decreasing
Verb
  • The Iranians are now setting the terms of this conflict and are routinely humiliating the American president.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
  • Instead of demanding personal fealty or humiliating them to assert personal dominance, Lincoln absorbed their egos and occasional slights, elevating their talents and turning his fiercest political adversaries into his most devoted champions.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 24 June 2026
Definition of humiliating

Browse Nearby Words

lowered
lowering
lowermost
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Cite this Entry

“Lowering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lowering. Accessed 6 Oct. 2026.

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