# downsize

/ˈdaʊnˌsaɪz/ (US) · /dˈaʊnsaɪz/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/downsize
Updated: 2026-10-16

## Definition

to make something smaller, especially a company or a home. A company downsizes when it cuts jobs, and people downsize when they move to a smaller house.

For teachers: to reduce in size, scale, or workforce, especially by cutting staff or moving to smaller premises. Extends from corporate restructuring to personal decisions to live with less space.

## Examples

- They downsize their home after the kids leave.
- The company plans to downsize its main office and move most staff to remote work.
- After the merger, the board voted to downsize operations in three countries while investing heavily in automation.

## Synonyms

reduce, shrink, Cut, trim

## Antonyms

expand, Increase, Grow

## Usage notes

- Used both transitively and intransitively; commonly takes an object such as staff, operations, or home.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.