Diminished — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective verb /də-ˈmi-nisht/ di·min·ished

Meaning & Definition of Diminished

Diminished (adjective)

  1. made one half step less than perfect or minor

Diminished (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in reduced, contracted

    similar: compressed, condensed, contracted, reduced, dimpled, pockmarked, alveolar, cavernous, crescentic, cuplike, cupped, cuppy, recurved, concave, dented, depressed, dished, hollow, indented, recessed, sunken
    opposite: bulging, cambered, convex, protruding, protrusive, protuberant, ballooning, bloated, blown up, bulbous, distended, enlarged, expanded, extended, inflated, jutting, projecting, puffed, puffy, risen, swollen, domed, global, globular, round, rounded, spherical

Diminished (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-mouthed, belittled, cried down, decried, denigrated, deprecated, depreciated, derogated, discounted, dismissed, disparaged, dissed (slang), kissed off, minimized, played down, poor-mouthed, put down, ran down, talked down, trashed, trash-talked, vilipended, wrote off, dumped on
    related: discommended, abused, scolded, disapproved (of), disliked, censured, condemned, criticized, denounced, reprehended, reprobated, aspersed, defamed, maligned, ripped, slandered, slurred, traduced, vilified, discredited, disgraced
    opposite: acclaimed, applauded, exalted, extolled, glorified, lauded, magnified, praised
    near: approved, countenanced, endorsed, favored, recommended, sanctioned, commended, complimented, eulogized

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

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

    similar: abated, decreased, de-escalated, dented, depleted, downscaled, downsized, dropped, dwindled, eased, knocked down, lessened, lowered, reduced
    related: compressed, condensed, constricted, contracted, abbreviated, abridged, clipped, cropped, curtailed, cut, cut back, cut down, docked, nicked, pared, pruned, retrenched, shortened, slashed, trimmed, truncated, whittled, deflated, shrank, minimized, moderated, modified, modulated, qualified
    opposite: aggrandized, amplified, augmented, boosted, enlarged, escalated, expanded, increased, raised
    near: blew up, dilated, distended, inflated, swelled, elongated, extended, lengthened, prolonged, protracted, added (to), complemented, supplemented, enhanced, heightened, intensified, redoubled

  3. to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

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

    similar: abated, declined, decreased, de-escalated, died (away or down or out), drained (away), dropped (off), dwindled, eased, ebbed, fell, fell away, lessened, let up, lowered, moderated, palled, phased down, ratcheted (down), receded, relented, remitted, shrank, subsided, tapered, tapered off, waned
    related: compressed, condensed, constricted, contracted, evaporated, faded (away), frittered (away), gave out, melted (away), petered (out), tailed (off), vanished, slackened, slowed (down), alleviated, relaxed, flagged, sank, weakened, caved (in), collapsed, deflated
    opposite: accumulated, ballooned, built, burgeoned, enlarged, escalated, expanded, grew, increased, intensified, mounted, mushroomed, picked up, rose, snowballed, soared, swelled, waxed
    near: appeared, emerged, showed up, blew up, distended, elongated, lengthened

Related Entry: Diminish (verb)

Diminish is a different word from Diminished. The synonyms below are for diminish, not for diminished.

  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

Related Entry: Diminished (in) (verb)

Diminished (in) is a different word from Diminished. The synonyms below are for diminished (in), not for diminished.

  1. as in fell (in), declined (in)

    similar: abated, declined (in), dipped, dwindled, fell (in), lessened, tapered, tapered off, decreased (in), lost
    opposite: built up, gained, gathered, grew (in), picked up, doubled (in), tripled (in), accrued, accumulated, amassed

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Diminished

The most common words with a similar meaning to Diminished:

Slang: dissed
compressed, condensed, contracted, reduced, dimpled, pockmarked, alveolar, cavernous, crescentic, cuplike, cupped, cuppy, recurved, concave, dented, depressed, dished, hollow, indented, recessed, sunken, bad-mouthed, belittled, cried down, decried, denigrated, deprecated, depreciated, derogated, discounted, dismissed, disparaged, kissed off, minimized, played down, poor-mouthed, put down, ran down, talked down, trashed

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Diminished

Words with the opposite meaning of Diminished:

bulging, cambered, convex, protruding, protrusive, protuberant, ballooning, bloated, blown up, bulbous, distended, enlarged, expanded, extended, inflated, jutting, projecting, puffed, puffy, risen, swollen, domed, global, globular, round, rounded, spherical, acclaimed, applauded, exalted

Related Words for Diminished

discommended, abused, scolded, disapproved (of), disliked, censured, condemned, criticized, denounced, reprehended, reprobated, aspersed, defamed, maligned, ripped, slandered, slurred, traduced, vilified, discredited, disgraced, constricted, abbreviated, abridged, clipped, cropped, curtailed, cut, cut back, cut down

Near Antonyms of Diminished

approved, countenanced, endorsed, favored, recommended, sanctioned, commended, complimented, eulogized, blew up, dilated, elongated, lengthened, prolonged, protracted, added (to), complemented, supplemented, enhanced, heightened, redoubled, appeared, emerged, showed up

Origin & Etymology of Diminished

First known use: circa 1751

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Diminished

Frequently Asked Questions about Diminished

What does "Diminished" mean?

"Diminished" means made one half step less than perfect or minor. As an an adjective and a verb, it is defined as: made one half step less than perfect or minor. It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Diminished"?

Other words for "Diminished" include compressed, condensed, contracted, reduced, dimpled, pockmarked, alveolar and cavernous. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Diminished" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Diminished"?

There are 138 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Diminished". Common alternatives include compressed, condensed, contracted, reduced, dimpled, pockmarked, alveolar, cavernous, crescentic and cuplike.

What is the opposite of "Diminished"?

Antonyms of "Diminished" include bulging, cambered, convex, protruding, protrusive, protuberant, ballooning and bloated. Near antonyms include approved, countenanced, endorsed and favored.

How do you use "Diminished" in a sentence?

Examples of "Diminished" in a sentence: "tends to diminish any rival's accomplishments with snide remarks"; "the state's blood supplies were severely diminished by the two consecutive disasters"; "the sound of the train diminished as our distance from it increased".

Is "Diminished" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Diminished" can be used as an adjective and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Diminished" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

It is on the Academic Word List, so it appears often in IELTS Academic, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, and university texts.

How do you pronounce "Diminished"?

"Diminished" is pronounced /də-ˈmi-nisht/ and divided into syllables as di·min·ished.