# dwindling

/ˈdwɪndəɫɪŋ/ (US) · /dwˈɪndlɪŋ/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/dwindling
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

becoming smaller in size or amount over time. You use this to describe things like money, supplies, or hope that are slowly running out.

For teachers: gradually diminishing in size, amount, or strength. Often used to describe resources, populations, or abstract qualities like support or interest.

## Examples

- The hikers worried about their dwindling water supply.
- The company struggled to stay afloat as it faced dwindling profits and rising competition.
- Conservationists are deeply concerned about the dwindling population of local songbirds, whose habitats have been fragmented by rapid urban development over the last decade.

## Usage notes

- Typically used attributively before a noun; derived from the present participle of the verb 'dwindle'.

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