Diminish — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Diminish (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. to express scornfully one's low opinion of

   "tends to diminish any rival's accomplishments with snide remarks"

   similar: bad-mouth, belittle, cry down, decry, denigrate, deprecate, depreciate, derogate, dis (slang), discount, dismiss, disparage, kiss off, minimize, play down, poor-mouth, put down, run down, talk down, trash, trash-talk, vilipend, write off, dump on
   related: discommend, abuse, scold, disapprove (of), dislike, censure, condemn, criticize, denounce, reprehend, reprobate, asperse, defame, malign, rip, slander, slur, traduce, vilify, discredit, disgrace
   opposite: acclaim, applaud, exalt, extol, glorify, laud, magnify, praise
   near: approve, countenance, endorse, favor, recommend, sanction, commend, compliment, eulogize

2. to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent

   "the state's blood supplies were severely diminished by the two consecutive disasters"

   similar: abate, de-escalate, decrease, dent, deplete, downscale, downsize, drop, dwindle, ease, knock down, lessen, lower, reduce
   related: compress, condense, constrict, contract, abbreviate, abridge, clip, crop, curtail, cut, cut back, cut down, dock, nick, pare, prune, retrench, shorten, slash, trim, truncate, whittle, deflate, shrink, minimize, moderate, modify, modulate, qualify
   opposite: aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, enlarge, escalate, expand, increase, raise
   near: blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, swell, elongate, extend, lengthen, prolong, protract, add (to), complement, supplement, enhance, heighten, intensify, redouble

3. to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

   "the sound of the train diminished as our distance from it increased"

   similar: abate, de-escalate, decline, decrease, die (away or down or out), drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, lessen, let up, lower, moderate, pall, phase down, ratchet (down), recede, relent, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, wane
   related: compress, condense, constrict, contract, evaporate, fade (away), fritter (away), give out, melt (away), peter (out), tail (off), vanish, slacken, slow (down), alleviate, relax, flag, sink, weaken, cave (in), collapse, deflate
   opposite: accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mount, mushroom, pick up, rise, snowball, soar, swell, wax
   near: appear, emerge, show up, blow up, distend, elongate, lengthen