English vocabulary · C1
Dwindle
/ˈdwɪndl/ · v.
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When things dwindle, there is less and less of them as time goes by. A pile that once looked big may soon be too small to last.
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Example sentences
- Cash can dwindle when bills pile up.
- Our food may dwindle before help comes.
Word origin and roots
from Old English
- dwinan — fade (from Old English)
Synonyms and nuances
- SHRINK — become smaller (Become smaller)
- DIMINISH — become less (Become less)
- DECREASE — become lower in amount (Go down in amount)
Similar words
- shrink
- diminish
- decrease
- wane
- ebb
Lesson notes
When things dwindle, there is less and less of them as time goes by. A pile that once looked big may soon be too small to last.
Related: shrink, diminish, decrease. Use dwindle when supplies keep falling.
Cash can dwindle when bills pile up. Our food may dwindle before help comes.
From Old English. Dwee-nan- means fade. Like light that will fade, our small cash pile can dwindle.