minimize

American

[min-uh-mahyz] / ˈmɪn əˌmaɪz /

especially British, minimise

verb (used with object)

minimized, minimizing

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.

minimize British

/ ˈmɪnɪˌmaɪz /

verb

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

to minimize a risk
to rank or treat at less than the true worth; belittle

to minimize someone's achievements

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

minimization noun
minimizer noun
unminimized adjective
unminimizing adjective

Etymology

Origin of minimize

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

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.

Both CalPERS and CalSTRS said that investment portfolios seek to minimize risk and maximize returns.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 2, 2026

An older relative gives annual gifts to minimize future estate taxes.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 26, 2026

We used the period from November 2023 through mid-August 2025 to minimize undercounting at the start and end of our detention dataset.

From Salon • Mar. 24, 2026

United Arab Emirates-based intermediaries helped minimize direct contact between Iran and Russia.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

Papa’s white shirt, with its perfectly tailored lines, did little to minimize the mound of flesh that was his stomach.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023