as in declining
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Relevance
as in fading
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
as in decreasing
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
in the course of the evening the storm steadily waned
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of waning
Michael D'estries, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026
Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 21 Aug. 2025
Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 28 Mar. 2026
In the waning days of this Chicago Bulls season, Patrick Williams has begun to fade out of focus.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
And the Pelicans tucked themselves to sleep, fouling Brunson on a drive to the rim with just over a minute left in regulation, then conceding a technical foul, a sequence that put the Knicks up 118-111 in the waning moments of regulation.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
If influence and power are based on perceptions, Chavez and his aides don’t deny that the assault on the union by former members fosters the perception the union’s influence is waning.
—Marcos Breton, Sacbee.com, 24 Mar. 2026
After weeks of war with Iran, Israeli support for the conflict is high but waning.
—Jackie Northam, NPR, 24 Mar. 2026
And like all of television, reality is facing splintered and waning audiences so the decibel level of that conversation-sparking is often dialed way up.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Momentum is waning after gold surged higher across the past two years.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
As societies grow more diverse, however, and as fewer people affiliate with formal religious groups, faiths’ moral influence on society is waning.
—Beth Dufault, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
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
Set against the waning days of Idaho’s legislative session, Boise’s installment of the nationwide rally brought state issues to the fore.
—Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 28 Mar. 2026
In the waning days of this Chicago Bulls season, Patrick Williams has begun to fade out of focus.
—Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 26 Mar. 2026
And the Pelicans tucked themselves to sleep, fouling Brunson on a drive to the rim with just over a minute left in regulation, then conceding a technical foul, a sequence that put the Knicks up 118-111 in the waning moments of regulation.
—Kristian Winfield, New York Daily News, 25 Mar. 2026
If influence and power are based on perceptions, Chavez and his aides don’t deny that the assault on the union by former members fosters the perception the union’s influence is waning.
—Marcos Breton, Sacbee.com, 24 Mar. 2026
After weeks of war with Iran, Israeli support for the conflict is high but waning.
—Jackie Northam, NPR, 24 Mar. 2026
And like all of television, reality is facing splintered and waning audiences so the decibel level of that conversation-sparking is often dialed way up.
—Culture Critic, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Momentum is waning after gold surged higher across the past two years.
—John Towfighi, CNN Money, 20 Mar. 2026
As societies grow more diverse, however, and as fewer people affiliate with formal religious groups, faiths’ moral influence on society is waning.
—Beth Dufault, The Conversation, 19 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waning
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
Noun
-
To ward off further damage, one major key is to prevent color fading.—
Danielle Sinay,
Glamour,
23 Mar. 2026
-
However, the bedding itself has held up well without any fraying threads or color fading.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The situation mirrors a recent case in Sweetwater, where hundreds of families were also displaced under similar terms, with financial incentives decreasing the longer residents wait to leave.—
Ivan Taylor,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Higher rates can help tame inflation and allow savers to earn more interest on their accounts, while lower rates can help stimulate the economy by decreasing borrowing costs.—
Rachel Barber,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
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
Noun
-
Watering dill the day before harvesting ensures that the leaves are hydrated and not dry or wilting, which gives the leaves better flavor.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Look out for premature dropping of leaves along the stem, brown leaf tips, and wilting, as these can all be signs of both low humidity and lack of soil moisture.—
Derek Carwood,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Indeed, the need for RTGs was laid bare by Curiosity and Perseverance's predecessors, the Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity, which were purely solar powered but suffered from diminishing power as Martian dust covered their solar arrays.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Without sufficient funds, the upkeep of these amenities may decline, potentially lowering property values and diminishing residents’ quality of life.—
Gary Singer,
Sun Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
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
Verb
-
But there were no signs that the conflict was subsiding.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
But, by the end of May, the issue was not subsiding.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Waning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waning. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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