dwindle
verb
dwin·dle ˈdwin-dᵊl 
dwindled; dwindling ˈdwin-(d)liŋ
-dᵊl-iŋ
intransitive verb
: to become steadily less : shrink
Their savings dwindled to nothing.
a dwindling population
transitive verb
: to make steadily less
Synonyms
- abate
- de-escalate
- decrease
- dent
- deplete
- diminish
- downscale
- downsize
- drop
- ease
- knock down
- lessen
- lower
- reduce
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Our energy dwindled as the meeting dragged on. The town's population is dwindling away.
Recent Examples on the Web The researchers also note that the region could act as a small-scale climate refugia, a place in which the species could survive for a time if sea ice continues to dwindle. 
Doug Johnson, Ars Technica, 21 June 2022 By that time, if the frequency of invasions continues to dwindle, humanity will have a 0.0014 percent probability of invading an alien civilization. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 5 June 2022 Some experts calculate that Ukraine has roughly 55 operational fighter jets remaining, and that number continues to dwindle. Peter Aitken, Fox News, 28 Mar. 2022 With sub-regional and regional semifinal games played last week, the number of teams still playing continues to dwindle. Dennis Victory, al, 20 Feb. 2022 Multimillion-dollar mineral extraction, brine shrimp harvesting and lake tourism industries also face collapse if the Great Salt Lake continues to dwindle. Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Feb. 2022 Support for capital punishment continues to dwindle among Californians, with more voters favoring abolishing the death penalty, according to a 2021 UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times. Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2022 Related: Red Sox can’t turn runners into runs in defeat to the Twins as playoff hopes continue to dwindle As the pandemic raged, Kelly underwent a ligament reattachment procedure, avoiding Tommy John surgery. Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2022 But starting in the late 1990s, cattle operations began to dwindle and the ranch fell into disrepair. Sarah Kuta, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2022 See More
Doug Johnson, Ars Technica, 21 June 2022 By that time, if the frequency of invasions continues to dwindle, humanity will have a 0.0014 percent probability of invading an alien civilization. Joshua Hawkins, BGR, 5 June 2022 Some experts calculate that Ukraine has roughly 55 operational fighter jets remaining, and that number continues to dwindle. Peter Aitken, Fox News, 28 Mar. 2022 With sub-regional and regional semifinal games played last week, the number of teams still playing continues to dwindle. Dennis Victory, al, 20 Feb. 2022 Multimillion-dollar mineral extraction, brine shrimp harvesting and lake tourism industries also face collapse if the Great Salt Lake continues to dwindle. Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 19 Feb. 2022 Support for capital punishment continues to dwindle among Californians, with more voters favoring abolishing the death penalty, according to a 2021 UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times. Hannah Wiley, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2022 Related: Red Sox can’t turn runners into runs in defeat to the Twins as playoff hopes continue to dwindle As the pandemic raged, Kelly underwent a ligament reattachment procedure, avoiding Tommy John surgery. Peter Abraham, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Aug. 2022 But starting in the late 1990s, cattle operations began to dwindle and the ranch fell into disrepair. Sarah Kuta, Robb Report, 24 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
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, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Kids Definition
dwindle
verb
dwin·dle ˈdwin-dəl
dwindled; dwindling
: to make or become less or smaller
… she had suddenly dwindled down to the size of a little doll … Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass
Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glassdwindles
verb
1
as in reduces
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent the long winter dwindled our supply of firewood to practically nothing Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- reduces
- decreases
- diminishes
- depletes
- lowers
- eases
- lessens
- abates
- downsizes
- minimizes
- shrinks
- drops
- dents
- compresses
- slashes
- shortens
- cuts
- knocks down
- de-escalates
- constricts
- whittles
- pares
- downscales
- curtails
- condenses
- contracts
- truncates
- retrenches
- deflates
- crops
- abbreviates
- trims
- cuts down
- prunes
- docks
- abridges
- modulates
- modifies
- cuts back
- clips
- nicks
- moderates
- qualifies
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- increases
- expands
- escalates
- enlarges
- augments
- raises
- amplifies
- boosts
- swells
- extends
- dilates
- lengthens
- inflates
- prolongs
- intensifies
- elongates
- adds (to)
- blows up
- enhances
- complements
- aggrandizes
- distends
- heightens
- supplements
- protracts
- redoubles
2
as in decreases
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually our hopes dwindled as the reports of more casualties came in Synonyms & Similar Words
- decreases
- diminishes
- subsides
- shrinks
- vanishes
- declines
- falls
- wanes
- eases
- ebbs
- recedes
- tapers
- lessens
- palls
- weakens
- evaporates
- relents
- abates
- lowers
- moderates
- falls away
- tapers off
- phases down
- remits
- collapses
- lets up
- de-escalates
- constricts
- slackens
- rachets (down)
- ratchets (down)
- compresses
- drains (away)
- drops (off)
- dies (away or down or out)
- condenses
- contracts
- relaxes
- alleviates
- sinks
- gives out
- deflates
- fades (away)
- slows (down)
- flags
- fritters (away)
- peters (out)
- melts (away)
- tails (off)
- caves (in)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- grows
- increases
- rises
- intensifies
- expands
- soars
- escalates
- accumulates
- builds
- swells
- enlarges
- emerges
- appears
- mushrooms
- mounts
- waxes
- burgeons
- picks up
- lengthens
- snowballs
- bourgeons
- balloons
- elongates
- distends
- blows up
- shows up