Showing results for "waning"

• present participle of wane.

waning

American  

[wey-ning] / weɪ nɪŋ /

adjective

1. decreasing in strength, intensity, etc..

   Many teens in focus groups expressed waning enthusiasm for social media.

2. declining in power, importance, prosperity, etc..

   The recent hacking of the retailer’s credit card system will have devastating implications for its already waning business.

3. drawing to a close; approaching an end.

   The bill will likely be passed in the waning days of this legislative session.

4. (of the moon) decreasing in the extent of its illuminated portion after the full moon.

   The crescent of fine white sand, wrapped around the bay, looked like a waning moon.

---

noun

1. the process of decreasing, declining, or coming to an end.

   The Middle Ages occurred between the waning of the Roman Empire and the beginning of the Renaissance.

2. (of the moon) the process of decreasing in the extent of its illuminated portion after the full moon.

   Onion seeds are planted in the fall, during the waning of the Harvest Moon.

Other Word Forms

• unwaning
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of waning

First recorded before 900; wan(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. ) for the adjective senses; wan(e) ( def. ) + -ing ¹ ( def. ) for the noun senses

Explanation

If the moon was full, and now it's getting slimmer each night, it's a waning moon: it's getting gradually smaller. Waning can be used for anything that diminishes, like the brightness of the sunlight in the late afternoon, your interest in cartoons, or your influence over your teenage daughter's fashion choices. It comes from the Old English verb wǫnian, which means "to lessen."

Example Sentences

Those with a business masters still have a leg up on their peers without one, but their job prospects and salaries are waning.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 1, 2026

Reading scores among high school seniors are at their lowest in decades, according to federal testing data, while schools across the country are grappling with how to respond to waning attention spans and artificial intelligence.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 1, 2026

Talk of America’s waning financial and economic hegemony has been greatly exaggerated.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 28, 2026

However, that euphoria appears to be waning of late, with company valuations looking stretched and traders questioning when firms will see a return on the trillions that has been invested.

From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026

His red long-sleeved robe shimmered in the waning sun.

From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie