minimize

American  

[min-uh-mahyz] / ˈmɪn əˌmaɪz /

especially British, minimise

verb (used with object)

• minimizes,
  present (3rd person singular)
• minimized,
  past participle,  past
• minimizing
  present participle

1. to reduce to the smallest possible amount or degree.

2. to represent at the lowest possible amount, value, importance, influence, etc., especially in a disparaging way; belittle.

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minimize British  

/ ˈmɪnɪˌmaɪz /

verb

1. to reduce to or estimate at the least possible degree or amount

   to minimize a risk

2. to rank or treat at less than the true worth; belittle

   to minimize someone's achievements

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• minimization
  noun
• minimizer
  noun
• unminimized
  adjective
• unminimizing
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• minimizing
  present
• minimized
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• minimize
  simple
• minimizes
  simple
• have minimized
  perfect
• has minimized
  perfect
• am minimizing
  progressive
• are minimizing
  progressive
• is minimizing
  progressive
• have been minimizing
  perfect progressive
• has been minimizing
  perfect progressive

Past

• minimized
  simple
• had minimized
  perfect
• was minimizing
  progressive
• were minimizing
  progressive
• had been minimizing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will minimize
  simple
• will have minimized
  perfect
• will be minimizing
  progressive
• will have been minimizing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of minimize

First recorded in 1795–1805; minim(um) + -ize

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

minimize minimizes minimized minimizing

Goldberg painted Grant as the mastermind who, once caught, tried to minimize his involvement and turn over “a big fish” like Banks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

“This weapon might help minimize corruption but with collateral damage,” John F. Hulpke, a professor at University College Dublin, wrote in the Journal of Management Inquiry in 2017.

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026

Construction is expected to begin this year, trying to minimize impact on normal campus activities.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

But there are ways to stretch the conversion out over several years to minimize the tax bill, experts told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 14, 2026

Learning from its lessons in Peru, Haiti, and Russia, PIH works closely with governments and their agencies to minimize political misunderstandings and to deploy their complementary resources.

From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French

Ms. Southon rightly appreciates that manumission was a tool of slave-owners’ power, but she excessively minimizes how common it was.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

It minimizes your role in your marriage and in your life, and it attempts to put you in a box.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 6, 2026

"Anyone who minimizes violence against women and girls is not voicing an isolated opinion, but revealing a complacent attitude toward abuse," the center said in a statement.

From Barron's ● Feb. 19, 2026

At the same time, its innovative current routing minimizes magnetic interference, which helps deliver cleaner electrical output and higher overall efficiency.

From Science Daily ● Jan. 19, 2026

Among the many advantages of selective spraying is the fact that it minimizes the amount of chemical applied to the landscape.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

But it also suggests that viewers are mature enough to absorb the tougher truths omitted from Wilder’s original vision, as well as the roles of others who were minimized, like Sims’ good doctor.

From Salon ● Jul. 11, 2026

Sun reported her exit and minimized screen time.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

"Strikingly, when this receptor was removed from the mice, the development of arterial plaques dropped significantly in some areas and disruptions to the gut microbiome were minimized."

From Science Daily ● Jun. 9, 2026

I have sat across from women who were deeply afraid, and I have watched as their fears were minimized, explained away, or ignored by the very systems meant to protect them.

From Slate ● Apr. 25, 2026

Officer Delinko’s role in the capture of the fleeing criminal was conveniently minimized.

From "Hoot" by Carl Hiaasen

“Our team is dedicated to minimizing any adverse effects on voters, and we will work diligently to safeguard their ability to make their voices heard and ensure their votes are properly recorded,” Logan said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

One possibility the team is especially interested in is using the technology aboard satellites, where minimizing size, weight and power consumption is particularly important.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 24, 2026

Most seemed to think he’s guilty, even as they used minimizing language.

From Salon ● Aug. 7, 2026

The U.S. acts to foster life-sciences experiments while minimizing the risk of a pandemic or other catastrophe.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

“Uh, no,” he said, minimizing the window on the computer monitor.

From "Shooting Kabul" by N. H. Senzai

Related Words

• curtail
• decrease
• diminish
• downplay
• lessen
• play down
• reduce
• trivialize
• underestimate