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waned

[weyn]

verb (used without object)

to decrease in strength, intensity, etc.: Daylight waned, and night came on. Her enthusiasm for the cause is waning.

to decline in power, importance, prosperity, etc.: Colonialism began to wane after World War II.

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 wax² (def. 2).

noun

a gradual decrease or decline in strength, intensity, power, etc.

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.

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Waned is always a great word to know.

So is callithumpian. Does it mean:

a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.

a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes.

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Idiom

10.

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

Origin:
before 900; Middle English wanen (v.), Old English wanian to lessen; cognate with Middle Dutch, Middle High German wanen, Old Norse vana to cause to wane, destroy

Related forms

un·waned, adjective

un·wan·ing, adjective

Can be confused: wane, wax.

Synonyms
1, 2. diminish, fail, sink. 5. diminution; failure, decay.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To waned

Example Sentences

Today, with gasoline plentiful, interest in gasohol and other synthetic fuels has waned.

But as soon as premium rates came down, interest in these animals waned.

Its popularity has waxed and waned through the years.

EXPAND

Today, with gasoline plentiful, interest in gasohol and other synthetic fuels has waned.

But as soon as premium rates came down, interest in these animals waned.

Its popularity has waxed and waned through the years.

The browser war may have waned of late, but that's not to say battles aren't brewing.

Water, food and electricity all waned after days of battles, and people waited in line for water.

Then better ionic conductors and more promising designs emerged, and its popularity waned.

The intensity of criticism has not substantially waned over the past year, nor has the prominence of those voicing concern.

The popularity of one of the oldest sci-fi universes has waxed and waned over the years, but the fervor of its fans has not.

Stocks fell for the fifth trading session in the last six yesterday as confidence in a rebound in corporate profits waned.

Yet in a few weeks, his aura of invincibility has waned.

As muscles waned and the jaw line softened, so did the prize-winning punches.

As the project progressed, however, his paranoia waned.

At the same time, polls indicate, public support for the labor movement has waned.

Fund-raising and lobbying for the home country have waned sharply.

And then, as the petroleum market stabilized, sales waned.

Britain's statistics office, income inequality took off again, as wage differentials waxed and government generosity waned.

Advisers say they're scaling back the ads because the public's attention on the race has waned.

These have become less common as worries about what could go wrong have waned.

Eventually psychedelia and its complexity waned and was replaced by cleaner, more forthright designs.

Internships have waned and more students want specialised training or to become entrepreneurs.

The debate over pharma profits and practices has waxed and waned ever since.

Trade has grown briskly and many types of protectionism have waned.

Whatever the reason, the army's role in business has waned.

As the power of labor waned and real estate values.

The skepticism waned after her findings were borne out in standard animal-based experiments.

During the last decade, behaviorism has waned while a school called cognitive psychology has become ascendant.

But as their influence has waned over the years, they seek whatever avenues to reinforce their ideas.

The city's importance and prestige waned and scholars drifted elsewhere.

The band had waned and returned several times in the past, astronomers noted, and kept an eye out for its return.

Gainsbourg's legend has hardly waned in the decades since his death.

But the price of oil slumped and interest in wingsails for cargo ships waned.

Loyalty to the emperor never waned in the family, even when it switched to modernity.

His injuries waned because he was putting less stress on his body.

The moon waned away, the sun plunged so low it burned out of the sky, and a last wave took out the planet.

COLLAPSE

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

wane

O.E. wanian "make or become smaller gradually," from P.Gmc. *wanojanan (cf. O.S. wanon, O.N. vana, O.Fris. wania, M.Du. waenen, O.H.G. wanon "to wane, to grow less"), from *wano- "lacking," from PIE *we-no-, from base *eue- "to leave, abandon, give out" (see vain). Related: waned, wanes.

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