Minimize
verb
To make something as small as possible.
We should minimize waste to help the environment.
Often appears as...
- minimize waste
- minimize risk
verb
To lessen the severity of something.
He tried to minimize the damage caused by his mistake.
Often appears as...
- minimize the impact
- minimize the damage
verb
To belittle or underestimate the importance of something or someone.
Do not minimize your own abilities and achievements.
Often appears as...
- minimize one's abilities
- minimize one's achievements
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To make a window or an application on a computer's screen smaller.
Minimize the windows that you are not working on to avoid distraction.
Often appears as...
- minimize a window
- minimize an application
Usage tips
Technical
verb
To make something as small as possible.
We should minimize waste to help the environment.
Often appears as...
- minimize waste
- minimize risk
verb
To lessen the severity of something.
He tried to minimize the damage caused by his mistake.
Often appears as...
- minimize the impact
- minimize the damage
verb
To belittle or underestimate the importance of something or someone.
Do not minimize your own abilities and achievements.
Often appears as...
- minimize one's abilities
- minimize one's achievements
Usage tips
Disapproving
verb
To make a window or an application on a computer's screen smaller.
Minimize the windows that you are not working on to avoid distraction.
Often appears as...
- minimize a window
- minimize an application
Usage tips
Technical
Definition 1 of 4
Pro Tip 1/3Environmental Focus
Often used regarding sustainability goals or practices that aim to reduce waste or resources.
Businesses are trying to minimize their carbon footprint.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Eliminate
Minimize means to reduce significantly, but not necessarily to remove completely or eliminate.
The plan aims to minimize risks, not eliminate them entirely.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Impact
Can describe reducing negative feelings or the impact of stressful events.
Deep breathing exercises can minimize anxiety.
Pro Tip 1/3Environmental Focus
Often used regarding sustainability goals or practices that aim to reduce waste or resources.
Businesses are trying to minimize their carbon footprint.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Eliminate
Minimize means to reduce significantly, but not necessarily to remove completely or eliminate.
The plan aims to minimize risks, not eliminate them entirely.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Impact
Can describe reducing negative feelings or the impact of stressful events.
Deep breathing exercises can minimize anxiety.
Pro Tip 1/3Environmental Focus
Often used regarding sustainability goals or practices that aim to reduce waste or resources.
Businesses are trying to minimize their carbon footprint.
Pro Tip 2/3Not Eliminate
Minimize means to reduce significantly, but not necessarily to remove completely or eliminate.
The plan aims to minimize risks, not eliminate them entirely.
Pro Tip 3/3Emotional Impact
Can describe reducing negative feelings or the impact of stressful events.
Deep breathing exercises can minimize anxiety.
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Video examples
What's normal anxiety --...
Some people don't have insurance that would cover it. Some have been dismissed or minimized in the past, and don't think seeking help will do any good. Some worry about the stigma and whether it could affect future jobs or relationships. But severe anxiety isn't a moral or personal failing.
Video examples
The ethical dilemma of...
decreased harmful emissions, and minimized unproductive and stressful driving time. But accidents can and will still happen, and when they do, their outcomes may be determined months or years in advance by programmers or policy makers. And they'll have some difficult decisions to make.
Video examples
How to fix a broken...
in this next chapter of your life when they shouldn't be an extra. Getting over heartbreak is hard, but if you refuse to be misled by your mind and you take steps to heal, you can significantly minimize your suffering. And it won't just be you who benefit from that.
Video examples
Where Your Cat Goes May...
we generally advocate that people keep their cats indoors but if you do let your cat out we just want to know where are they going and try to understand some of the biological phenomenon so that we can help in the future minimize the impacts of cats on wildlife
Video examples
What causes cavities? -...
However, we have developed other ways of minimizing cavities besides reducing our intake of sugar and starch. In most toothpastes and many water supplies, we use tiny amounts of fluoride. That strengthens teeth and encourages the growth of enamel crystals
Video examples
America’s most just...
eight other factors that came out time and time again we heard it over and over and over where first do they make safe and reliable products do they protect employee rights are they well governed and generated profit do they minimize
Video examples
How to stay calm when...
I think the important point here is recognizing that all of us are flawed. We all are going to fail now and then. The idea is to think ahead to what those failures might be, to put systems in place that will help minimize the damage,
Video examples
Rethinking infidelity...
but the pressure for women is to hide, minimize and deny, which isn't surprising when you consider that there are still nine countries where women can be killed for straying. Now, monogamy used to be one person for life.
Video examples
Sophisticated Mountain...
hairs have been dated back over a hundred thousand years adopting a spherical ball of fluff pose helps the hair stay warm by minimizing the surface area of their body exposed to the bitter cold wedging themselves in
Video examples
Pamela Ronald: The case...
we must focus on how we can help children grow up healthy. We must ask if farmers in rural communities can thrive, and if everyone can afford the food. We must try to minimize environmental degradation.
Video examples
What's normal anxiety --...
Some people don't have insurance that would cover it. Some have been dismissed or minimized in the past, and don't think seeking help will do any good. Some worry about the stigma and whether it could affect future jobs or relationships. But severe anxiety isn't a moral or personal failing.
Video examples
The ethical dilemma of...
decreased harmful emissions, and minimized unproductive and stressful driving time. But accidents can and will still happen, and when they do, their outcomes may be determined months or years in advance by programmers or policy makers. And they'll have some difficult decisions to make.
Video examples
How to fix a broken...
in this next chapter of your life when they shouldn't be an extra. Getting over heartbreak is hard, but if you refuse to be misled by your mind and you take steps to heal, you can significantly minimize your suffering. And it won't just be you who benefit from that.
Video examples
Where Your Cat Goes May...
we generally advocate that people keep their cats indoors but if you do let your cat out we just want to know where are they going and try to understand some of the biological phenomenon so that we can help in the future minimize the impacts of cats on wildlife
Video examples
What causes cavities? -...
However, we have developed other ways of minimizing cavities besides reducing our intake of sugar and starch. In most toothpastes and many water supplies, we use tiny amounts of fluoride. That strengthens teeth and encourages the growth of enamel crystals
Video examples
America’s most just...
eight other factors that came out time and time again we heard it over and over and over where first do they make safe and reliable products do they protect employee rights are they well governed and generated profit do they minimize
Video examples
How to stay calm when...
I think the important point here is recognizing that all of us are flawed. We all are going to fail now and then. The idea is to think ahead to what those failures might be, to put systems in place that will help minimize the damage,
Video examples
Rethinking infidelity...
but the pressure for women is to hide, minimize and deny, which isn't surprising when you consider that there are still nine countries where women can be killed for straying. Now, monogamy used to be one person for life.
Video examples
Sophisticated Mountain...
hairs have been dated back over a hundred thousand years adopting a spherical ball of fluff pose helps the hair stay warm by minimizing the surface area of their body exposed to the bitter cold wedging themselves in
Video examples
Pamela Ronald: The case...
we must focus on how we can help children grow up healthy. We must ask if farmers in rural communities can thrive, and if everyone can afford the food. We must try to minimize environmental degradation.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Judith Butler
American Philosopher
Cameras help to minimize collateral damage, and very often, without a camera a missile cannot fire. Certainly, without a camera a drone can't function, which means that the very ways in which we wage war are determined in part by how cameras work and whether they work at all.
Quote examples
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
American Chef
Air is the enemy of most foods and can increase their rate of spoilage. By transferring them to smaller containers, you not only minimize air contact, but you also help keep your fridge organized and easy to navigate.
Quote examples
Jackie Speier
American Politician
We must start to prepare for a warming world in the same way that we prepare for the possibility of terrorism - by making sure our infrastructure is secure and by working to minimize threats as much as possible.
Quote examples
Hugh Mackay
Australian Scientist
One reason we resist making deliberate choices is that choice equals change and most of us, feeling the world is unpredictable enough, try to minimise the trauma of change in our personal lives.
Quote examples
Hope Jahren
American Scientist
Women live in a world where we are forced to consider our safety at every turn. We minimize risk while we maximize activity. It's this constant balancing act that we do.
Quote examples
Nick Saban
American Coach
I said as soon as we had a playoff, we were going to minimize the importance of all the other bowl games. I'm not saying it's good or bad; it kind of is what it is.
Quote examples
Robert Darnton
American Historian
I would not minimize the digital divide, which separates the computerized world from the rest, nor would I underestimate the importance of traditional books.
Quote examples
John T. Chambers
American Businessman
There is no secure data center in the world; they have all been broken into. We can help you prepare for it and minimize the damage when it does occur.
Quote examples
Jake Pavelka
American Celebrity
My goal in life is to make decisions that minimize regrets. I don't regret anything I've done.
Quote examples
Alex Trebek
Canadian Entertainer
Don't minimize the importance of luck in determining life's course.
Quote examples
Judith Butler
American Philosopher
Cameras help to minimize collateral damage, and very often, without a camera a missile cannot fire. Certainly, without a camera a drone can't function, which means that the very ways in which we wage war are determined in part by how cameras work and whether they work at all.
Quote examples
J. Kenji Lopez-Alt
American Chef
Air is the enemy of most foods and can increase their rate of spoilage. By transferring them to smaller containers, you not only minimize air contact, but you also help keep your fridge organized and easy to navigate.
Quote examples
Jackie Speier
American Politician
We must start to prepare for a warming world in the same way that we prepare for the possibility of terrorism - by making sure our infrastructure is secure and by working to minimize threats as much as possible.
Quote examples
Hugh Mackay
Australian Scientist
One reason we resist making deliberate choices is that choice equals change and most of us, feeling the world is unpredictable enough, try to minimise the trauma of change in our personal lives.
Quote examples
Hope Jahren
American Scientist
Women live in a world where we are forced to consider our safety at every turn. We minimize risk while we maximize activity. It's this constant balancing act that we do.
Quote examples
Nick Saban
American Coach
I said as soon as we had a playoff, we were going to minimize the importance of all the other bowl games. I'm not saying it's good or bad; it kind of is what it is.
Quote examples
Robert Darnton
American Historian
I would not minimize the digital divide, which separates the computerized world from the rest, nor would I underestimate the importance of traditional books.
Quote examples
John T. Chambers
American Businessman
There is no secure data center in the world; they have all been broken into. We can help you prepare for it and minimize the damage when it does occur.
Quote examples
Jake Pavelka
American Celebrity
My goal in life is to make decisions that minimize regrets. I don't regret anything I've done.
Quote examples
Alex Trebek
Canadian Entertainer
Don't minimize the importance of luck in determining life's course.
Example 1 of 10
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