diminished
Britishadjective
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reduced or lessened; made smaller
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music denoting any minor or perfect interval reduced by a semitone
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music denoting a triad consisting of the root plus a minor third and a diminished fifth
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music (postpositive) (esp in jazz or pop music) denoting a diminished seventh chord having as its root the note specified
B diminished
Explanation
If you drive through a tunnel, you’ll notice that your cell phone reception is diminished. When something is diminished, it’s been weakened or lessened. Diminished is an adjective used when something has lost its power, prestige, or worth. The value of a car, for instance, is diminished over time by wear and tear. In some instances, diminished means "belittled," or made to seem like less in the face of something perceived as better or greater. The popularity of a laptop, for instance, will be diminished if a cheaper, more powerful model is released. Leaders and politicians who get involved in scandals often suffer diminished reputations.
Vocabulary lists containing diminished
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
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The City of Ember
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Music - Middle School
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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.
In some sense, it is a miracle that the party survived, though it has held on in a deeply diminished fashion.
From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2026
Military planners worry the U.S. has rushed so many munitions to the Middle East that America’s ability to defend against potential threats from China and Russia has been diminished, The Wall Street Journal has reported.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 16, 2026
LAHSA, already diminished by the county’s decision last year to divert its homelessness funds to a new county homelessness department, now retains contracts for programs in the city.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
Arsenal were one game away from the dream double of Premier League and Champions League last season, even with the brilliance of Martin Odegaard diminished by injuries and indifferent form.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026
The shareholders who financed the risk taking had no real understanding of what the risk takers were doing, and, as the risk taking grew ever more complex, their understanding diminished.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
