Word
diminish
Phoneticsdi·min·ish, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈmɪnɪʃ/
UK/dɪmˈɪnɪʃ/
In Japanese
to decrease (in size or number); to diminish; to abate
Japanese from JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0. All sources.
Definitions
01to decrease in size or amount
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
v. to become smaller, fewer, or less important.
v. to become gradually less or smaller in size, amount, or degree. Often used intransitively to describe natural or economic trends.
“The noise from the street began to diminish as the night went on.”
“The company's profits began to diminish after the new competitor entered the market with a more efficient production model.”
02to make something smaller
B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic
v. to make something seem less important or smaller than it really is.
v. to reduce the size, importance, or intensity of something. Transitive use requiring a direct object.
“The new law will diminish the power of the local government.”
“The administration sought to diminish the impact of the scandal by releasing the report late on a Friday afternoon.”
03to belittle or insult
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to treat someone or something as if they are not important or valuable.
v. to lessen the reputation, authority, or dignity of a person or achievement; to disparage.
“You should not try to diminish her success just because you are jealous.”
“Critics attempted to diminish the artist's legacy by focusing solely on his early, less sophisticated works.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “diminish” in context.
Verb
01. diminish someone's achievements
“Critics tried to diminish her achievements by focusing on her early failures.”
verb + possessive + noun
02. diminish the impact of
“The government introduced new measures to diminish the impact of the recession.”
verb + noun + prep
03. diminish the importance of
“We should not diminish the importance of his contribution to the project.”
verb + noun + prep
Noun
04. diminishing returns
“After twelve hours of studying, you reach a point of diminishing returns where you stop learning.”
noun + noun
Adverb
05. rapidly diminish
“The company's cash reserves began to rapidly diminish after the failed merger.”
adv + verb
06. significantly diminish
“The new medication significantly diminishes the risk of a second heart attack.”
adv + verb
07. steadily diminish
“Public support for the new policy has steadily diminished over the last few months.”
adv + verb
Usage
The verb can be used both transitively and intransitively.
Real-World Examples
“Mr. Trump’s social media declaration on Sunday night, praising Mr. Kim and publicly ordering Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to diminish America’s role in an annual military exercise with South Korea, one of America’s allies in the Pacific, appeared intended to signal that he wants to resume negotiations.” “Ageism “others” older people and diminishes their worth.” “None of this diminishes the extraordinary technical skill of early anatomists.” “This depletion “has significantly diminished the U.S. military’s ability to project its combat power, laying bare the shortcomings of its global military hegemony,” said Yue Gang, a retired colonel of the People’s Liberation Army, in an interview.” Etymology
Formed under the influence of both diminue (from Old French diminuer, from Latin dīminuo) and minish.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990EikenEikenTest in Practical English ProficiencyThe English proficiency test from the Eiken Foundation of Japan, widely taken by Japanese students. Grades run from 5 to 1, with Pre-1 and Pre-2 between them.Grade 1
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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