diminish
Americanverb (used with object)
-
diminishes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
diminished,
past participle, past
-
diminishing
present participle
-
to make or cause to seem smaller, less, less important, etc.; lessen; reduce.
-
Architecture. to give (a column) a form tapering inward from bottom to top.
-
Music. to make (an interval) smaller by a chromatic half step than the corresponding perfect or minor interval.
-
to detract from the authority, honor, stature, or reputation of; disparage.
verb (used without object)
-
diminishes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
diminished,
past participle, past
-
diminishing
present participle
verb
-
to make or become smaller, fewer, or less
-
(tr) architect to cause (a column, etc) to taper
-
(tr) music to decrease (a minor or perfect interval) by a semitone
-
to belittle or be belittled; reduce in authority, status, etc; depreciate
Usage
What does diminish mean? To diminish is to become smaller, fewer, or less, as in If we don’t order more, our stock of supplies will slowly diminish until we run out completely. It can also mean to make smaller, fewer, or less, as in We need to diminish our reliance on fossil fuels. Close synonyms of these senses of diminish are reduce, decrease, and lessen. Diminish can also be used in less literal ways. It can mean to make something seem smaller or less significant, as in The senator tried to diminish his role in the scandal. The verb downplay is used in a similar way. To diminish a person is to reduce or take away from their stature, reputation, or authority in some way—to belittle or disparage them, as in The new tell-all book is clearly an attempt to diminish a man who is regarded as a legend in his field. Example: My interest in sports has diminished since I was a kid—I’m only a casual fan now.
Synonym Usage
See decrease.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
diminishmentnoun
-
prediminishmentnoun
-
undiminishablenessnoun
-
prediminishverb (used with object)
-
diminishableadjective
-
nondiminishingadjective
-
undiminishableadjective
-
undiminishedadjective
-
undiminishingadjective
-
diminishinglyadverb
-
undiminishablyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
diminishsimple
-
diminishessimple
-
have diminishedperfect
-
has diminishedperfect
-
am diminishingprogressive
-
are diminishingprogressive
-
is diminishingprogressive
-
have been diminishingperfect progressive
-
has been diminishingperfect progressive
Past
-
diminishedsimple
-
had diminishedperfect
-
was diminishingprogressive
-
were diminishingprogressive
-
had been diminishingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of diminish
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English; blend of diminuen (from Anglo-French diminuer, from Medieval Latin dīminuere, from Latin dēminuere “to make smaller”) and minishen minish
Explanation
Diminish means to make smaller or lesser. If you cover a lightbulb with a dark lamp shade, the light from the lamp will diminish. It can also mean become less important. Once the light has been dimmed, its role in lighting the room is diminished. If you look at diminish, you see 'minis' which comes from the Latin word minus, as in subtraction. Other words that share this root are miniature and minuscule, all of which mean something that is small, or at least smallish.
Vocabulary lists containing diminish
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 2
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The Pentagon memo establishing the office says it cannot “compel religious participation” or diminish the rights of service members, civilian employees or family members “of any faith or no faith.”
From Salon ● Oct. 3, 2026
When farmers pump heavily from wells, that lowers the water table and can diminish the river.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
Assuming stock volatility was 20% a year instead of 15% would diminish one’s chances of making it to the finish line with money remaining to just 75%.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
“While monetary policy cannot move ships or reopen pipelines and refineries, it can diminish the risk that these supply shocks spill over into broader and more persistent inflation,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 29, 2026
As he came out of the mist and their fears subsided, he seemed suddenly to diminish to ordinary hobbit-size.
From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien
The concept of choosing time over money diminishes for mothers who feel unable to pause their careers, even when personal or caregiving demands intensify.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 31, 2026
When the temperature difference diminishes between the warmer western Pacific and the cooler eastern Pacific, the typical east-to-west trade winds decrease even further.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 13, 2026
You can find lots of inspirational quotes reminding you that 40 is just the beginning, but that framing is false, and diminishes our not insignificant life experience.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
It also calls for zero tolerance of bullying or misogyny from No 10 staff and parliamentarians, as well as unprofessional behaviour that diminishes the contributions of women.
From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026
Felicia’s spirits soar as the coconut ice cream diminishes.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
It is dismal reading for Arsenal fans, whose optimism has quickly diminished and their 4-2 defeat at City on Sunday added further salt to their wounds.
From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026
Yes, he said, his career would feel diminished without a championship.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
In Ethiopia, child protection coverage in some areas has diminished by up to 85 percent.
From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026
With far less leisure time and diminished income, recreational facilities are turned over to food production, notably small-scale greenhouses and vertical farming for producing varied fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
He keeps feeding them with his flies, and the number of the latter is becoming sensibly diminished, although he has used half his food in attracting more flies from outside to his room.
From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker
"No matter what I've said about Christa Pike, I am no way diminishing her crime," Roberts added.
From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026
Yet all the while, data showed that racial imbalances in the criminal-justice system were diminishing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
But as the general election approaches, both candidates are diminishing the president’s presence in their messaging by varying degrees.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
It’s another reminder of the diminishing trust in today’s job market, like the questionable future of the cover letter.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 5, 2026
Like a river diminishing to a stream and then to a trickle.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
