waning 1 of 3

adjective

as in declining

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waning

2 of 3

noun

as in fading

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

waning

3 of 3

verb

present participle of wane
as in decreasing
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually in the course of the evening the storm steadily waned

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 waning
Adjective
Even better, the peak of this shower, which should produce on average between 8 to 10 meteors per hour, will arrive under dark skies thanks to a meager waning crescent moon. — Michael D'estries, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026
Noun
But Wells points out that in addition to the natural waning of the virus, other public health measures, such as vaccination and isolation, are instrumental in stopping its spread. — Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 21 Aug. 2025
Verb
At the least, that suggests the union’s dominance of education policy is waning. — U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 July 2026 As its name suggests, Glacier National Park’s rugged mountains and sheer cliffs are crowned by glaciers that are rapidly waning due to global warming. — Josh Laskin, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026 The two sides agreed to a cease-fire at the end of 2024, in the waning days of the Biden administration, but hostilities simmered. — Vivian Salama, The Atlantic, 27 June 2026 In what is now the United States' desert Southwest, Velarde was born during the waning years of the Spanish empire and a border whose boundaries and governments changed. — Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 2 July 2026 News broke Wednesday that Meta Platforms plans to start a cloud computing business, prompting speculation that the first signs of waning demand for computing capacity may be starting to appear on the horizon. — Tobias Burns, CNBC, 2 July 2026 Saturday, July 11Before dawn, a 13%-lit waning crescent moon appears close to Mars and Aldebaran in Taurus, with the Pleiades star cluster nearby. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Contributing Writer Keith Cooper has the tale here After Americans declared independence on July 4, 1776, a waning gibbous moon rose in the night sky. — Tariq Malik, Space.com, 4 July 2026 Trust in higher education is also waning, with 70% of Americans saying that higher education is heading in the wrong direction, according to a 2025 survey by the Pew Research Center. — Molly Gibbs, Mercury News, 3 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waning
  1. declining
  2. fading
  3. decreasing
  4. dying
  5. wilting
  6. diminishing
  7. failing
  8. ebbing
Adjective
  • While pruning, remove any winter damage, along with dead and declining growths, to allow new shoots to reform the plant.
    — Tom MacCubbin, orlandosentinel.com, 6 Mar. 2021
  • In order to reopen, counties must demonstrate declining prevalence of COVID-19, testing ability of 30 tests per 10,000 residents per week, contact tracing and isolation facilities.
    — Fox News, Fox News, 15 May 2020
Definition of declining
Noun
  • Moreover, washing certain fabrics in hot water can do more harm than good, leading to shrinking, fading, texture changes, and other types of damage.
    — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 4 July 2026
  • Resistant to water, fading, and the strong summer sun, the durable fabric feels soft to the touch while holding up to the elements.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 3 July 2026
Definition of fading
Verb
  • Most of these early mandate states were centered around the Northeast, where viral spread started decreasing as a result of normal season patterns.
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026
  • Across the United States, cities are decreasing the number of available psychiatric beds just as demand is surging.
    — Ian West, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of decreasing
Adjective
  • What’s the vibe for you, post-dying?
    — Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 22 June 2026
  • Garden centers aren't giving a refund for a dying or dead plant but rather a discount on a new purchase.
    — Lauren David, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2025
Definition of dying
Noun
  • Snip the entire stalk, not just the flower head, of individual wilting or dying flowers down to the node so the plant will send out new blooms.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 30 June 2026
  • Forgetting to water certain plants can cause wilting, dormancy, or even prevent blooms from returning.
    — Tessa Cooper, The Spruce, 21 June 2026
Definition of wilting
Verb
  • Others expressed concerns about diminishing Black voting power.
    — Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
  • Movies Are Good, Actually By Michael O’Donnell A film critic’s new book attacks the medium for diminishing culture.
    — Boris Kachka, The Atlantic, 3 July 2026
Definition of diminishing
Adjective
  • The state graded the campus an F for three consecutive years, meaning two more failing grades could trigger an intervention.
    — Noah Alcala Bach, San Antonio Express-News, 1 Jan. 2026
Definition of failing
Noun
  • What's more, CEOs say there are no signs of consumer demand ebbing.
    — Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
  • Perplexed, Smith texted her friend Jackie Caplan-Auerbach to see if the Western Washington University seismologist might know if this odd ebbing and flowing could be the result of a nearby landslide.
    — Megan I. Gannon, Scientific American, 6 May 2026
Definition of ebbing

Browse Nearby Words

wangling
waning
wannabe
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Cite this Entry

“Waning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waning. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on waning

Nglish: Translation of waning for Spanish Speakers

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