diminish
verb (used with object)
to make or cause to seem smaller, less, less important, etc.; lessen; reduce.
had been diminishing
-
past perfect progressiveof diminish.past perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that was ongoing continuously in the past up until another past event interrupted it.
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.
These big wage hikes come at a time when workers in many industries are pushing to raise wages, giving labor a resurgence in power and negotiating strength that had been diminishing for years.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 25, 2023
Ozone over the Antarctic had been diminishing since the 1970s, but news the hole now covered the entire Antarctic continent triggered worldwide alarm.
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2021
But Ms. Simmons’s role on Channel 4 had been diminishing.
From New York Times ● Mar. 8, 2012
The staggering whitey-brown form, advancing to put a blot on all this, had been diminishing in the shade; and now suddenly disappeared beside a weir.
From Life's Little Ironies by Thomas Hardy
Since the beginning of illness, nine months before, the natural irritability, or impatience of temper, had been diminishing.
From The Book-Hunter A New Edition, with a Memoir of the Author by John Hill Burton
