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   diminish

   /dɪˈmɪnɪʃ/

   verb

   • 1. make or become less: "the new law is expected to diminish the government's chances" Similar decreasedeclinereducelessenshrinkcontractgrow smallerfall offdrop offslacken offfalldropsinkslumpplummetplungefall off a cliffinformal:hit the floorgo through the floorgo downhillreducecurtailcutcut downcut backprunepare downlessenlowerdecreaseshrinkcontractnarrowconstrictrestrictlimitcurbcheckbluntweakenmake weakererodeunderminesapsubsidewaneabatedwindlefadedeclineslackenmoderateebbrecededie awaydie downdie outpeter outtail offcool offlet upfizzle outsettle downcome to an endarchaic:remitOpposite increaseincreaseflare upget worse
   • ▪ cause to seem less impressive or valuable: "the trial has aged and diminished him" Similar belittledisparagedenigratedeprecatedepreciatedevaluedemeandecrycast aspersions onspeak ill ofspeak badly ofrun downabuseinsultrevilemalignvilifyslurinformal:bad-mouthpull to piecespull apartsling mud atdo a hatchet job onrubbishslateslag offhave a go atrare:aspersederogatevilipendvituperateOpposite boost

   Word Origin late Middle English: blend of archaic minish ‘diminish’ (based on Latin minutia ‘smallness’) and obsolete diminue ‘speak disparagingly’ (based on Latin deminuere ‘lessen’ (in late Latin diminuere), from minuere ‘make small’).

   Derivatives

   • 1. diminishable adjective

   Scrabble Points: 14

   • D

     2

   • I

     1

   • M

     3

   • I

     1

   • N

     1

   • I

     1

   • S

     1

   • H

     4

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