Transcription
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
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- [dwin-dl]
- /ˈdwɪn dl/
- /ˈdwɪn.dl̩/
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- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
-
- [dwin-dl]
- /ˈdwɪn dl/
Definitions of dwindle word
- verb without object dwindle to become smaller and smaller; shrink; waste away: His vast fortune has dwindled away. 1
- verb without object dwindle to fall away, as in quality; degenerate. 1
- verb with object dwindle to make smaller and smaller; cause to shrink: Failing health dwindles ambition. 1
- noun dwindle Diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength. 1
- intransitive verb dwindle diminish, get smaller 1
- verb dwindle If something dwindles, it becomes smaller, weaker, or less in number. 0
Information block about the term
Origin of dwindle
First appearance:
before 1590 One of the 37% oldest English words
1590-1600; dwine (now dial.) to waste away (Middle English; Old English dwīnan; cognate with Middle Dutch dwīnen to languish, Old Norse dvīna to pine away) + -le
Historical Comparancy
Parts of speech for Dwindle
noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
dwindle popularity
A common word. It’s meaning is known to most children of preschool age. About 75% of English native speakers know the meaning and use the word.
This word is included in each student's vocabulary. Most likely there is at least one movie with this word in the title.
dwindle usage trend in Literature
This diagram is provided by Google Ngram ViewerSynonyms for dwindle
verb dwindle
- decline — If something declines, it becomes less in quantity, importance, or strength.
- abate — If something bad or undesirable abates, it becomes much less strong or severe.
- ebb — the flowing back of the tide as the water returns to the sea (opposed to flood, flow).
- wane — to decrease in strength, intensity, etc.: Daylight waned, and night came on. Her enthusiasm for the cause is waning.
- lessen — to become less.
Antonyms for dwindle
verb dwindle
- improve — to bring into a more desirable or excellent condition: He took vitamins to improve his health.
- increase — to make greater, as in number, size, strength, or quality; augment; add to: to increase taxes.
- ascend — If you ascend a hill or staircase, you go up it.
- prolong — to lengthen out in time; extend the duration of; cause to continue longer: to prolong one's stay abroad.
- grow — to increase by natural development, as any living organism or part by assimilation of nutriment; increase in size or substance.
Top questions with dwindle
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See also
Matching words
- Words starting with d
- Words starting with dw
- Words starting with dwi
- Words starting with dwin
- Words starting with dwind
- Words starting with dwindl
- Words starting with dwindle