WANE Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com

View synonyms for

wane

[ weyn ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

verb (used without object)

waned, waning.

to decrease in strength, intensity, etc.:
Daylight waned, and night came on.
Her enthusiasm for the cause is waning.
Synonyms: , ,
to decline in power, importance, prosperity, etc.:
Colonialism began to wane after World War II.
Synonyms: , ,
to draw to a close; approach an end:
Summer is waning.
(of the moon) to decrease periodically in the extent of its illuminated portion after the full moon. Compare wax ²( def 2 ).

noun

a gradual decrease or decline in strength, intensity, power, etc.
Synonyms: , ,
the drawing to a close of life, an era, a period, etc.
the waning of the moon.
a period of waning.
a defect in a plank or board characterized by bark or insufficient wood at a corner or along an edge, due to the curvature of the log.

wane

/ �ɱ�ɪ�� /

verb

(of the moon) to show a gradually decreasing portion of illuminated surface, between full moon and new moon Compare wax 2
to decrease gradually in size, strength, power, etc
to draw to a close

noun

a decrease, as in size, strength, power, etc
the period during which the moon wanes
the act or an instance of drawing to a close
a rounded surface or defective edge of a plank, where the bark was
on the wane
in a state of decline

Discover More

Derived Forms

ˈ�ɲ��Ա��, adjective

Discover More

�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of wane¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb wanen, Old English wanian “to lessen”; cognate with Middle Dutch, Middle High German wanen, Old Norse vana “to cause to wane, destroy”

Discover More

�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of wane¹

Old English wanian (vb); related to wan-, prefix indicating privation, wana defect, Old Norse vana

Discover More

Idioms and Phrases

on the wane, decreasing; diminishing:
The popularity of that song is on the wane.

More idioms and phrases containing wane

see wax and wane .

Discover More

Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

He has predicted that the demonstrations will wane.

From

We had years where our success was waning.

From

But as the pandemic waned, that average window shrunk as low as 30 days.

From

But, three years later audiences began to wane, and NBC pulled the plug.

From

But that effort waned as the Wildcats shot 54% from the field in the second quarter and took the lead just before half.

From

Related �y��vlogs

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Browse