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wane

/weɪn/verb

To grow weaker, smaller, or less intense.

Example sentences

  • “His enthusiasm for the project waned after the first setbacks.”
  • “The storm's strength waned as it moved inland over the mountains.”

The moon wanes as it shrinks and waxes as it grows, giving the paired idiom 'wax and wane'. Interest, influence, and enthusiasm all wane.

Featured as word of the day on June 22, 2026.

Synonyms for wane

Antonyms

  • wax
  • grow
  • increase

Find it in: Advanced English words.

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