Meaning & use

decrescendo

noun·Advanced

A gradual decrease in the loudness of music, or the musical direction indicating this.

See it in a sentence

The orchestra played a slow decrescendo as the final scene faded to darkness.

The conductor signaled a decrescendo by lowering her hands gently.

A note on using this word

Decrescendo is the opposite of crescendo and is often marked in sheet music with the symbol >.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “decrescendo”, then compare your use with the examples above.

Your draft stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.