minimize
Americanverb (used with object)
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to reduce to the smallest possible amount or degree.
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to represent at the lowest possible amount, value, importance, influence, etc., especially in a disparaging way; belittle.
verb
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to reduce to or estimate at the least possible degree or amount
to minimize a risk
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to rank or treat at less than the true worth; belittle
to minimize someone's achievements
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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minimizesimple
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minimizessimple
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have minimizedperfect
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has minimizedperfect
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am minimizingprogressive
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are minimizingprogressive
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is minimizingprogressive
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have been minimizingperfect progressive
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has been minimizingperfect progressive
Past
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minimizedsimple
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had minimizedperfect
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was minimizingprogressive
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were minimizingprogressive
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had been minimizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of minimize
Explanation
The verb minimize describes making something smaller or less serious. It typically refers to something negative that is being reduced, like when you eat at home instead of in restaurants to minimize expenses. To correctly pronounce minimize, accent the first syllable, which gets the short i sound: "MIH-nuh-mize." Minimize looks like minimum, which has the same spelling and meaning in English and Latin: smallest. To minimize something is to reduce it to its smallest amount — in size or importance. Other related words include minimal, miniscule, minute, and mini.
Vocabulary lists containing minimize
Words to Know Before You Defrost the Bird
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List 3
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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.
LONG: It’s a genuine loss, and I don’t want to minimize it.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 8, 2026
“What happened affected me deeply and I do not minimize the seriousness of it,” Smith said in court on Thursday.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 2, 2026
That calls for builders to reduce housing starts to minimize discounts, building less but at higher margins.
From Barron's • Jun. 28, 2026
Is there a way to minimize or avoid taxes when using these funds for education expenses or college savings accounts?
From MarketWatch • Jun. 17, 2026
“Right now, all I want to do is minimize any risks, to make sure no one will be harmed.”
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
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.
