minimize

Academic Word List, sublist 8.

About 9.81 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. verb To make (something) smaller or as small as possible; shrink; reduce.

   We have to minimize the budget.

2. verb To relegate or assign (something) to a less insignificant status; diminish.

   The insurance adjuster tried to minimize the extent of the damage to lessen the company's exposure to liability.

3. verb To remove (a window) from the main display area, collapsing it to an icon or caption.

   I didn't close anything, but I minimized all the windows so I could see the desktop.

4. verb To treat (someone) in a slighting manner.
5. verb To treat as trivial or insignificant; to trivialize.

   to minimize someone's feelings

Similar words

derogate belittle denigrate understate lessen reduced diminish lessening reduce decrease

Often followed by

the their this or its any these costs risk his

Word family

minimise minimised minimises minimising minimization minimizations minimized minimizer minimizers minimizes