as in reducing
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1
as in minimizing
to express scornfully one's low opinion of
tends to diminish any rival's accomplishments with snide remarks
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2
as in decreasing
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent
the state's blood supplies were severely diminished by the two consecutive disasters
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3
as in subsiding
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the sound of the train diminished as our distance from it increased
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of diminishing
James McNicholas, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Consolidation of power This diminishing of the role of the presidency and political legitimacy forms the background to any questions of succession now.
—Roxane Razavi, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Based on the diminishing returns of the Reading Challenge over the years (at this point, the Library needs to be shut down and defunded.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2026
Pollsters began noting diminishing approval for LGBTQ legal protections.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
But its premise never evolves enough to let loose in ridiculous fashion, yielding diminishing returns.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
The diminishing results amplified his idiosyncrasies.
—Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
Azerbaijan in recent years has developed ties with Israel and the United States, with Iran's influence in the South Caucasus region diminishing.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Mar. 2026
One plus from the offseason is that Brandon Nimmo’s bat has not shown the diminishing signs that Semien’s displayed the last two years.
—Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026
Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2026
The densest areas fragment first, diminishing further in size.
—Big Think, 20 Apr. 2026
Murray can breathe a sigh of relief that Nickeil Alexander-Walker left Minnesota for greener pastures in free agency last summer, diminishing the Wolves’ on-ball defensive firepower.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
Opposition parties warn that basing constituencies on population could shift political power toward faster-growing northern states, while diminishing the parliamentary representation, seat share and overall influence of southern regions.
—ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
Now she's got to buy it from pharmacies, with her precious, diminishing savings.
—Diaa Hadid, NPR, 16 Apr. 2026
But recently it’s turned the grounds into a content farm, ultimately diminishing the festival’s cool factor.
—Daniela Tijerina, Vanity Fair, 14 Apr. 2026
The 28-year-old defender won’t play his age-30 campaign until 2027-28, so the club has some time to be patient before Hronek becomes the sort of diminishing asset the club will have real urgency to monetize.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2026
That has yet to diminishing ambitions on either side of the sport’s civil war.
—Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Noun
Arsenal had lost the game, and yet another chunk of their diminishing lead in the table.
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Consolidation of power This diminishing of the role of the presidency and political legitimacy forms the background to any questions of succession now.
—Roxane Razavi, The Conversation, 2 Apr. 2026
Based on the diminishing returns of the Reading Challenge over the years (at this point, the Library needs to be shut down and defunded.
—Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 28 Mar. 2026
Pollsters began noting diminishing approval for LGBTQ legal protections.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 27 Mar. 2026
But its premise never evolves enough to let loose in ridiculous fashion, yielding diminishing returns.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 14 Mar. 2026
The diminishing results amplified his idiosyncrasies.
—Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
Azerbaijan in recent years has developed ties with Israel and the United States, with Iran's influence in the South Caucasus region diminishing.
—Arkansas Online, 6 Mar. 2026
One plus from the offseason is that Brandon Nimmo’s bat has not shown the diminishing signs that Semien’s displayed the last two years.
—Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 28 Feb. 2026
Verb
Fans’ attachment is largely to the kids, who aren’t kids anymore, and ’80s nostalgia, which is a diminishing resource.
—Ben Travers, IndieWire, 23 Apr. 2026
The densest areas fragment first, diminishing further in size.
—Big Think, 20 Apr. 2026
Murray can breathe a sigh of relief that Nickeil Alexander-Walker left Minnesota for greener pastures in free agency last summer, diminishing the Wolves’ on-ball defensive firepower.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026
Opposition parties warn that basing constituencies on population could shift political power toward faster-growing northern states, while diminishing the parliamentary representation, seat share and overall influence of southern regions.
—ABC News, 16 Apr. 2026
Now she's got to buy it from pharmacies, with her precious, diminishing savings.
—Diaa Hadid, NPR, 16 Apr. 2026
But recently it’s turned the grounds into a content farm, ultimately diminishing the festival’s cool factor.
—Daniela Tijerina, Vanity Fair, 14 Apr. 2026
The 28-year-old defender won’t play his age-30 campaign until 2027-28, so the club has some time to be patient before Hronek becomes the sort of diminishing asset the club will have real urgency to monetize.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2026
That has yet to diminishing ambitions on either side of the sport’s civil war.
—Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for diminishing
Noun
-
The long answer is that Estée Lauder’s Diamond Moisturizer is hydrating (as all moisturizers should be), firming, tightening, wrinkle-reducing, age spot-fading, and texture-smoothing.—
Tamim Alnuweiri,
InStyle,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Moisturizing, soothing, and redness reducing, Erborian’s CC Cream is the ultimate cult-favorite beauty product.—
Beatrice Zocchi,
Vogue,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The southern site also would not require the creation of a new quarry for dam materials, minimizing environmental impacts.—
Elise Schmelzer,
Denver Post,
1 May 2026
-
By spacing screenings to every two years, the ACP argues the tradeoff between early detection and minimizing those harms shifts in most women’s favor.—
Allison Palmer,
Sacbee.com,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
These changes were to be achieved by increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, decreasing the consumption of meat and eggs, and substituting nonfat milk for whole milk.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
-
In addition, federal funding is decreasing.—
Kristina Rex,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 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
Noun
-
Always dry thoroughly, heat on the stovetop until completely dry, and apply a thin layer of oil or shortening.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2026
-
This movement engages the quad concentrically, which means the muscles contract while shortening, Mann said.—
Julia Ries Wexler,
Health,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Federal lawyers said judges made mistakes in dismissing the cases by arguing the Civil Rights Act granted the attorney general access to local voting records.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Quit dismissing them as uneducated.—
Ashley Hume,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Reports in 2024 and 2025 indicated declining health, including low blood pressure, dizziness and heart problems, but these claims could not be independently verified.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
Now these countries, like much of the world, are facing declining birth rates that threaten to upend their economies.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While appearing radical at the time, the revamping of scientific boards to include more industry representatives, the undoing of power plant rules and the lessening of enforcement hobbled but did not completely undo the agency.—
Barbara Kates-Garnick,
The Conversation,
26 Aug. 2025
-
The good news is that GPT-5 will presumably be somewhat less than gushingly friendly, though the lessening might be variable and of a mixed result.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Diminishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/diminishing. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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