minimize
Americanverb (used with object)
-
minimizes,
present (3rd person singular)
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minimized,
past participle, past
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minimizing
present participle
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to reduce to the smallest possible amount or degree.
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
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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.
See Examples For:
“We need to improve loneliness and minimize social isolation.”
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 6, 2026
Executives previously pushed to use recycled gold to minimize such impact.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 4, 2026
But with many tankers turning off tracking systems or transferring cargoes between ships to minimize threats, other analysts are circumspect about just how much shipping has recovered.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2026
Their results suggest that the effort and restrictions required to minimize every glucose fluctuation could make it harder for some people to enjoy everyday activities.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 28, 2026
And sometimes the look spread to include their whole bodies as they leaned away to minimize the possibility of physical contact between the two and their own selves.
From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson
Saylor’s answer was that his involvement minimizes risks and swings.
From Slate ● Sep. 20, 2026
The matte surface of the interior 7.6-inch screen minimizes reflections to hide it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 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
Two cultures: one emphasizes the difference between Evidence-Indices and Evidence-Perspicuity; the other minimizes it.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
True abuse must never be minimized, and victims deserve safety.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
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
While we were recuperating, Dad spent considerable time with us, but minimized our discomforts, and kept telling us we were just looking for sympathy.
From "Cheaper by the Dozen" by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey
“Understanding how quickly that population is growing will help us think about things like minimizing traffic collisions,” Spasojevic said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
One alternative is always to buy slowly and in stages, minimizing the painful risk of buying right at the peak.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 9, 2026
The act, adopted in 1970, has been credited for protecting California’s natural resources and minimizing pollution.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026
“It’s no longer about sightseeing or checking destinations off a list. It is about preserving meaningful experiences with family and friends while minimizing stress.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
I could reduce my caloric use by minimizing manual labor.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
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.
