dwindle

verb dwin·dle \ˈdwin-d^əl\

: to gradually become smaller

dwin·dleddwin·dling \-(d)liŋ, -d^əl-iŋ\

Full Definition of DWINDLE

intransitive verb

: to become steadily less : shrink

transitive verb

: to make steadily less

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Origin of DWINDLE

probably frequentative of dwine to waste away, from Middle English, from Old English dwīnan; akin to Old Norse dvīna to pine away, deyja to die — more at die

First Known Use: 1596

Related to DWINDLE

Synonyms: abate, de-escalate, dent, deplete, diminish, downscale, downsize, drop, decrease, ease, knock down, lessen, lower, reduce

Antonyms: aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, enlarge, escalate, expand, increase, raise

Synonym Discussion of DWINDLE

decrease, lessen, diminish, reduce, abate, dwindle mean to grow or make less. decrease suggests a progressive decline in size, amount, numbers, or intensity <slowly decreased the amount of pressure>. lessen suggests a decline in amount rather than in number <has been unable to lessen her debt>. diminish emphasizes a perceptible loss and implies its subtraction from a total <his visual acuity has diminished>. reduce implies a bringing down or lowering <you must reduce your caloric intake>. abate implies a reducing of something excessive or oppressive in force or amount <the storm abated>. dwindle implies progressive lessening and is applied to things growing visibly smaller <their provisions dwindled slowly>.