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schmälern — meaning in English

German → English · translate English → German instead

English meaning

  • belittle verb To speak of someone or something as less important or impressive than it really is, often to show contempt.
  • diminish verb To make something smaller, weaker, or less important.
  • impair verb To weaken; to affect negatively; to have a diminishing effect on.
  • slight adj Small in degree or amount; minor.

Senses

schmälern is used for these senses in English:

  • belittle (transitive) To knowingly say that something is smaller or less important than it actually is, especially as a way of showing contempt or deprecation. [from 1782]
  • diminish (transitive) To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken; to nerf (in gaming).
  • impair (transitive) To weaken; to affect negatively; to have a diminishing effect on.
  • slight (transitive) To give lesser weight or importance to.

diminish — full definition

  1. verb To make something smaller, weaker, or less important.
  2. verb To become smaller or less in amount or intensity.

Related German words