minimize

American  

[min-uh-mahyz] / ˈmɪn əˌmaɪz /

especially British, minimise

verb (used with object)

minimized, minimizing

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

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

Etymology

Origin of minimize

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

Example Sentences

“Our job as a military is when we see a threat to minimize it and push it away for as long as possible,” Israeli military spokesman Nadav Shoshani told reporters Thursday.

From The Wall Street Journal

Airstrikes have long been a go-to way to project military power for U.S. administrations that want to minimize the risk of American casualties and avoid entangling ground wars.

From The Wall Street Journal

This and precise targeting can minimize civilian casualties.

From The Wall Street Journal

The evidence on the shingles vaccine and dementia comes from the equivalent of a gold-standard natural experiment where the influence of such confounding variables has been minimized, he says.

From MarketWatch

But over the centuries, humans developed rules of warfare designed to, at least in theory, minimize the blood-letting.

From Salon

Related Words

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