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.

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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

Her sales with the Selena St. Cloud novels are waning a little bit and new blood comes in.

From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026

Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday filed a proposed settlement in the case, which began after it sued Musk in the waning days of the Biden administration.

From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026

Last month, PIF confirmed a new emphasis on "sustained value creation…and maximizing long-term returns", with a statement, external making no mention of sport, fuelling the sense that its interest was waning.

From BBC • May 1, 2026

“Empire of Skulls” concludes with an anecdote that neatly captures the theory’s waning influence.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

It was evening, and the grey light was again waning fast, when they halted for the night.

From "The Fellowship of the Ring" by J.R.R. Tolkien