Meaning & use

diminish

verb·Academic

To become smaller or less, or to cause something to decrease in size or importance.

See it in a sentence

Her enthusiasm for the project began to diminish after months of delays.

Regular maintenance can diminish the risk of a serious mechanical failure.

A note on using this word

Diminish suggests a gradual decline, unlike a sudden or forced reduction, which suits words like slash or cut.

Words with a similar meaning

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Words with an opposite meaning

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