dwindle
Americanverb (used without object)
-
dwindles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dwindled,
past participle, past
-
dwindling
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
dwindles,
present (3rd person singular)
-
dwindled,
past participle, past
-
dwindling
present participle
verb
Synonym Usage
See decrease.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
dwindlesimple
-
dwindlessimple
-
have dwindledperfect
-
has dwindledperfect
-
am dwindlingprogressive
-
are dwindlingprogressive
-
is dwindlingprogressive
-
have been dwindlingperfect progressive
-
has been dwindlingperfect progressive
Past
-
dwindledsimple
-
had dwindledperfect
-
was dwindlingprogressive
-
were dwindlingprogressive
-
had been dwindlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of dwindle
1590–1600; dwine (now dial.) to waste away ( Middle English; Old English dwīnan; cognate with Middle Dutch dwīnen to languish, Old Norse dvīna to pine away) + -le
Explanation
What do love, money, and the earth all have in common? All can dwindle, or shrink away, if we don't handle them properly. The word dwindle has a wonderfully descriptive, almost childlike sound to it, as though it belongs in a nursery rhyme. That might help you remember the meaning, which is to shrink away gradually, like the Cheshire Cat in "Alice in Wonderland," who dwindles away until nothing is left but his grin.
Vocabulary lists containing dwindle
List 2
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
100 SAT Words Beginning with "D"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
"Flag" Day Words
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
And as landslides sever access roads and supplies dwindle in several parts of the island, there are growing concerns about how much longer survivors can hold out.
From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026
They have left vineyards struggling to sufficiently irrigate their plants, and caused crop yields to dwindle.
From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026
Lockheed Martin LMT -0.92%decrease; down pointing triangle said it would field a new and cheaper model of Patriot missile that could hit the battlefield faster, as global stockpiles of high-end interceptors dwindle.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
The question is whether price increases accelerate as inventory sources dwindle.
From MarketWatch ● May 13, 2026
In time the flames began to dwindle, and then they were gone.
From "A Clash of Kings" by George R.R. Martin
Markets are focused on the rupee as it dwindles toward the psychological breakwater of 100 to the dollar.
From Barron's ● May 21, 2026
As time dwindles, the Internal Revenue Service has received over 1 million fewer income-tax returns compared to the same point a year ago.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 9, 2026
S&P Global estimates copper demand will rise 50% by 2040, while mining output dwindles, resulting in a 25% shortfall.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 2, 2026
Alternatively, gulls may be relying on human leftovers for much of the year as the natural food supply dwindles.
From BBC ● Feb. 21, 2025
‘He is lost. We must ride without him, and our hope dwindles.’
From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien
As those policies have dwindled, the clearing yield must rise to attract other buyers.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026
The UK's armed forces have dwindled since the end of the cold war.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
Volkswagen has tried to slim down as profits have dwindled, and struck a deal with unions in late 2024 to shed 35,000 jobs by 2030 at the company’s core operations in Germany.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
Putnam wrote that as regular social engagement and recreation dwindled, so did participation in daily civic life.
From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2026
It burned with an unholy dripping glare for a minute, three times normal size, then dwindled.
From "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury
I asked Dan whether he meant dwindling in health or popularity.
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026
Struggling German sports car maker Porsche plans to end production of the Taycan, its flagship fully electric model, by 2030 after steadily dwindling sales, a report said Thursday.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
Wendy’s shares rose 15% to $8.66 after reports that Nelson Peltz’s Trian Partners investment firm had offered to take the burger chain private following a period of dwindling sales.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
The family must grapple with a dwindling stockpile of resources and the mysterious “threat” that keeps them trapped inside the home, the statement read.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 8, 2026
“I mourn my dwindling time, but I cherish the chance it gives me to make things right.”
From "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom
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.
