waning 1 of 3

adjective

as in declining

Related Words

Relevance

waning

2 of 3

noun

as in fading

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

waning

3 of 3

verb

present participle of wane
as in decreasing
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually in the course of the evening the storm steadily waned

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of waning
Adjective
Even better, the peak of this shower, which should produce on average between 8 to 10 meteors per hour, will arrive under dark skies thanks to a meager waning crescent moon. — Michael D'estries, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026
Noun
There’s the decline in regular religious attendance, which now stands at 34 percent, and the corresponding waning of associated ceremonies. — John Semley, Harpers Magazine, 28 July 2026 But Wells points out that in addition to the natural waning of the virus, other public health measures, such as vaccination and isolation, are instrumental in stopping its spread. — Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 21 Aug. 2025
Verb
In the metro, temperatures are expected to reach around 90 degrees, a few degrees above the metro’s average high of 87 degrees for the waning days of August. — Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2026 The big white tail’s appearance halted the hunter’s construction attempts for the rest of the waning day. — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026 There may be a little more gray in Grohl’s goatee, but don’t equate that with waning stamina. — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026 Dreyer received his first yellow card for removing his shirt after scoring the go-ahead goal in the 89th minute, then collected his second yellow in the waning moments of injury time. — Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Aug. 2026 From 2014-25, the waning races of NASCAR’s regular season typically were a scramble to make the championship field as a win earned a berth. — ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026 For some people, however, vaccination protection may be waning at this point, and those with weaker defenses in particular may want to consult with a physician and receive a booster shot now, advises Sood. — Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 14 Aug. 2026 But decades of asymmetric warfare in the Middle East, in which the United States relied largely on drones and bombs, had led some to believe the days of artillery battles were waning. — Jesse Coburn, ProPublica, 12 Aug. 2026 Another positive trend, as Volkow noted, was the waning popularity of cigarettes, with just 8% of young adults reporting use in the past 30 days. — Sarah Todd, STAT, 12 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for waning
  1. declining
  2. fading
  3. decreasing
  4. dying
  5. wilting
  6. diminishing
  7. failing
  8. ebbing
Adjective
  • While pruning, remove any winter damage, along with dead and declining growths, to allow new shoots to reform the plant.
    — Tom MacCubbin, orlandosentinel.com, 6 Mar. 2021
  • In order to reopen, counties must demonstrate declining prevalence of COVID-19, testing ability of 30 tests per 10,000 residents per week, contact tracing and isolation facilities.
    — Fox News, Fox News, 15 May 2020
Definition of declining
Noun
  • This locks the fabric color to help reduce bleeding and fading.
    — Bianca Lambert, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The deep indigo color has no fading, which gives the jeans a sleeker look, and the leg is relaxed throughout but doesn’t look slouchy.
    — Shea Simmons, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026
Definition of fading
Verb
  • The researchers’ models suggest that areas near the escarpment could have lost as much as 8 kilometers of rock, with erosion decreasing farther away from the ancient cliff.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 21 Aug. 2026
  • How Perimenopause Affects Bones and Muscle Perimenopause typically begins in a woman’s late 40s or early 50s and lasts about seven years, marked by decreasing estrogen, according to PennState Health.
    — Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of decreasing
Adjective
  • What’s the vibe for you, post-dying?
    — Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 22 June 2026
  • Garden centers aren't giving a refund for a dying or dead plant but rather a discount on a new purchase.
    — Lauren David, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2025
Definition of dying
Noun
  • Despite the big upturns for the closers, most Broadway productions saw at least some dips last week, perhaps due to the competition with the three departing shows, or maybe just some summer wilting.
    — Greg Evans, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Let the soil dry somewhat between waterings, so that constant moisture isn’t present, but not to the point of wilting.
    — Leah Chester-Davis, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of wilting
Verb
  • In the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, France's initial mediating role gave way to a pro-Armenia stance, alienating Baku and diminishing its leverage with Yerevan, which now increasingly favors the US.
    — Kamran Bokhari, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • During Anahulu Ho Emi, the third and final phase, the focus is diminishing, surrendering and reflecting.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of diminishing
Adjective
  • The state graded the campus an F for three consecutive years, meaning two more failing grades could trigger an intervention.
    — Noah Alcala Bach, San Antonio Express-News, 1 Jan. 2026
Definition of failing
Noun
  • As forcible mobilisation grows to fill Ukraine’s ebbing ranks, so will anger at the presidency and military.
    — Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • What's more, CEOs say there are no signs of consumer demand ebbing.
    — Doug Gollan, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Definition of ebbing

Browse Nearby Words

wangling
waning
wannabe
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Waning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/waning. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on waning

Nglish: Translation of waning for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All