Lessening — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb noun /ˈle-sᵊn/ less·en

Meaning & Definition of Lessening

Lessening (verb)

  1. to shrink in size, number, or degree, decrease
  2. to reduce in size, extent, or degree
  3. to represent as of little value

Lessening (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. as in shrinking, diminishing

    similar: decreasing, diminishing, reducing, shortening, shrinking, abbreviation, abridgment, compression, condensation, contraction, curtailment, abruptness, brusqueness, curtness, brevity, briefness, conciseness, shortness, compendiousness, crispness, laconism, pithiness, succinctness, tautness, terseness, littleness, minuteness, smallness, tininess
    opposite: lengthiness, extensiveness, elongating, elongation, extending, extension, prolongation, prolonging, protraction, stretching, expansion, growth, spread, diffuseness, garrulousness, long-windedness, prolixity, talkativeness, talkiness, verboseness, volubility, wordiness, bigness, bulkiness, greatness, heftiness, largeness

  2. as in depreciation

    similar: depreciation, abasement, debasement, decimation, demolishment, demolition, desolation, destruction, havoc, ruin, ruination, breakup, crumbling, decomposition, disintegration, dissolution, abatement, decrease, decrement, de-escalation, deflation, diminishment, diminution, dip, downslide, downtrend, downturn, drop, drop-off, falloff, loss, lowering, reduction, sag, shrinkage, slip, slump, decay, rotting, spoiling, dark age, nadir, sunset, decadence, declension, declination, decline, degeneracy, degeneration, degradation, dégringolade, descent, deterioration, devolution, downfall, downgrade, ebb, eclipse, fall
    opposite: ascent, rise, upswing, advancement, development, evolution, growth, blossoming, flourishing, flowering, renewal, restoration, revitalization, heightening, accretion, accrual, addendum, addition, augmentation, boost, enhancement, gain, increase, increment, raise, supplement

Lessening (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

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

    "we lessened our efforts as it became clear they weren't having an effect"

    similar: abating, decreasing, de-escalating, denting, depleting, diminishing, downscaling, downsizing, dropping, dwindling, easing, knocking down, lowering, reducing
    related: compressing, condensing, constricting, contracting, abbreviating, abridging, clipping, cropping, curtailing, cutting, cutting back, cutting down, docking, nicking, paring, pruning, retrenching, shortening, slashing, trimming, truncating, whittling, deflating, shrinking, minimizing, moderating, modifying, modulating, qualifying
    opposite: aggrandizing, amplifying, augmenting, boosting, enlarging, escalating, expanding, increasing, raising
    near: blowing up, dilating, distending, inflating, swelling, elongating, extending, lengthening, prolonging, protracting, adding (to), complementing, supplementing, enhancing, heightening, intensifying, redoubling

  2. to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

    "the pain should begin to lessen within minutes of taking the medication"

    similar: abating, declining, decreasing, de-escalating, diminishing, draining (away), dropping (off), dwindling, dying (away or down or out), easing, ebbing, falling, falling away, letting up, lowering, moderating, palling, phasing down, ratcheting (down), receding, relenting, remitting, shrinking, subsiding, tapering, tapering off, waning
    related: compressing, condensing, constricting, contracting, evaporating, fading (away), frittering (away), giving out, melting (away), petering (out), tailing (off), vanishing, slackening, slowing (down), alleviating, relaxing, flagging, sinking, weakening, caving (in), collapsing, deflating
    opposite: accumulating, ballooning, building, burgeoning, enlarging, escalating, expanding, growing, increasing, intensifying, mounting, mushrooming, picking up, rising, snowballing, soaring, swelling, waxing
    near: appearing, emerging, showing up, blowing up, distending, elongating, lengthening

  3. to lower in character, dignity, or quality

    "blatant hypocrisy that lessened him in the eyes of the voters"

    similar: abasing, bastardizing, cankering, cheapening, corrupting, debasing, debauching, degrading, demeaning, demoralizing, depraving, deteriorating, perverting, poisoning, profaning, prostituting, subverting, vitiating, warping
    related: befouling, begriming, contaminating, defiling, diluting, dirtying, polluting, tainting, thinning, watering down, weakening, descending, disgracing, dishonoring, humbling, humiliating, shaming, taking down, blemishing, damaging, defacing, destroying, flawing, harming, hurting, impairing, marring, ruining, spoiling, staining, tarnishing, wrecking, depreciating, downgrading
    opposite: elevating, ennobling, uplifting
    near: dignifying, exalting, honoring, ameliorating, amending, bettering, enhancing, enriching, improving, meliorating, perfecting, clarifying, cleaning, cleansing, purifying, refining, restoring, respecting

Related Entry: Lessen (verb)

Lessen is a different word from Lessening. The synonyms below are for lessen, not for lessening.

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

    "we lessened our efforts as it became clear they weren't having an effect"

    similar: abate, de-escalate, decrease, dent, deplete, diminish, downscale, downsize, drop, dwindle, ease, knock down, 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

  2. to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

    "the pain should begin to lessen within minutes of taking the medication"

    similar: abate, de-escalate, decline, decrease, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, 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

  3. to lower in character, dignity, or quality

    "blatant hypocrisy that lessened him in the eyes of the voters"

    similar: abase, bastardize, canker, cheapen, corrupt, debase, debauch, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, deteriorate, pervert, poison, profane, prostitute, subvert, vitiate, warp
    related: befoul, begrime, contaminate, defile, dilute, dirty, pollute, taint, thin, water down, weaken, descend, disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, shame, take down, blemish, damage, deface, destroy, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, mar, ruin, spoil, stain, tarnish, wreck, depreciate, downgrade
    opposite: elevate, ennoble, uplift
    near: dignify, exalt, honor, ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect, clarify, clean, cleanse, purify, refine, restore, respect

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Lessening

The most common words with a similar meaning to Lessening:

decreasing, diminishing, reducing, shortening, shrinking, abbreviation, abridgment, compression, condensation, contraction, curtailment, abruptness, brusqueness, curtness, brevity, briefness, conciseness, shortness, compendiousness, crispness, laconism, pithiness, succinctness, tautness, terseness, littleness, minuteness, smallness, tininess, depreciation, abasement, debasement, decimation, demolishment, demolition, desolation, destruction, havoc, ruin, ruination

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Lessening

Words with the opposite meaning of Lessening:

lengthiness, extensiveness, elongating, elongation, extending, extension, prolongation, prolonging, protraction, stretching, expansion, growth, spread, diffuseness, garrulousness, long-windedness, prolixity, talkativeness, talkiness, verboseness, volubility, wordiness, bigness, bulkiness, greatness, heftiness, largeness, ascent, rise, upswing

Related Words for Lessening

compressing, condensing, constricting, contracting, abbreviating, abridging, clipping, cropping, curtailing, cutting, cutting back, cutting down, docking, nicking, paring, pruning, retrenching, slashing, trimming, truncating, whittling, deflating, minimizing, modifying, modulating, qualifying, evaporating, fading (away), frittering (away), giving out

Near Antonyms of Lessening

blowing up, dilating, distending, inflating, lengthening, protracting, adding (to), complementing, supplementing, enhancing, redoubling, appearing, emerging, showing up, dignifying, exalting, honoring, ameliorating, amending, bettering, enriching, improving, meliorating, perfecting, clarifying, cleaning, cleansing, purifying, refining, restoring

Word Forms of Lessening

Inflections: lessened

Origin & Etymology of Lessening

First known use: 14th centuryi

Frequently Asked Questions about Lessening

What does "Lessening" mean?

"Lessening" means to shrink in size, number, or degree, decrease. As an a verb and a noun, it is defined as: to shrink in size, number, or degree, decrease. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Lessening"?

Other words for "Lessening" include decreasing, diminishing, reducing, shortening, shrinking, abbreviation, abridgment and compression. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Lessening" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Lessening"?

There are 211 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Lessening". Common alternatives include decreasing, diminishing, reducing, shortening, shrinking, abbreviation, abridgment, compression, condensation and contraction.

What is the opposite of "Lessening"?

Antonyms of "Lessening" include lengthiness, extensiveness, elongating, elongation, extending, extension, prolongation and prolonging. Near antonyms include blowing up, dilating, distending and inflating.

How do you use "Lessening" in a sentence?

Examples of "Lessening" in a sentence: "we lessened our efforts as it became clear they weren't having an effect"; "the pain should begin to lessen within minutes of taking the medication"; "blatant hypocrisy that lessened him in the eyes of the voters".

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

"Lessening" can be used as a verb and a noun, depending on the context.

How do you pronounce "Lessening"?

"Lessening" is pronounced /ˈle-sᵊn/ and divided into syllables as less·en.

What is the origin of the word "Lessening"?

First known use: 14th centuryi.