"downsize" meaning in English

See downsize in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Verb

IPA: /ˈdaʊnsaɪz/ Audio: en-us-downsize.ogg Forms: downsizes [present, singular, third-person], downsizing [participle, present], downsized [participle, past], downsized [past]
Etymology: From down- + size. Etymology templates: {{prefix|en|down|size}} down- + size Head templates: {{en-verb}} downsize (third-person singular simple present downsizes, present participle downsizing, simple past and past participle downsized)
  1. (intransitive) To reduce in size or number. Tags: intransitive Translations (to reduce in size or number): afslanken (Dutch), reorganizeren (Dutch), pienentää (Finnish), μειώνω (meióno) (Greek), skära ned (Swedish)
    Sense id: en-downsize-en-verb-Udk8staJ Disambiguation of 'to reduce in size or number': 82 17 1
  2. (transitive) To reduce the workforce of. Tags: transitive Synonyms: rightsize [euphemistic] Translations (to reduce the workforce of): 裁員 (Chinese Mandarin), 裁员 (cáiyuán) (Chinese Mandarin), afslanken (Dutch), reorganizeren (Dutch), vähentää työvoimaa (Finnish), μειώνω (meióno) (Greek), leépít (Hungarian), ダウンサイジングする (daunsaizingu-surú) (Japanese), リストラする (risutora-surú) (Japanese), сокраща́ть (sokraščátʹ) [imperfective] (Russian), сократи́ть (sokratítʹ) [perfective] (Russian), hacer recortes de personal (Spanish), hacer recortes de plantilla (Spanish), reajustar la plantilla (Spanish)
    Sense id: en-downsize-en-verb-v8iG-wf5 Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with Dutch translations, Terms with Finnish translations, Terms with Greek translations, Terms with Hungarian translations, Terms with Japanese translations, Terms with Mandarin translations, Terms with Russian translations, Terms with Spanish translations, Terms with Swedish translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 16 69 15 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 17 64 19 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 15 68 17 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 9 81 10 Disambiguation of Terms with Dutch translations: 16 59 25 Disambiguation of Terms with Finnish translations: 13 64 24 Disambiguation of Terms with Greek translations: 26 54 20 Disambiguation of Terms with Hungarian translations: 25 57 19 Disambiguation of Terms with Japanese translations: 12 66 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Mandarin translations: 15 54 30 Disambiguation of Terms with Russian translations: 12 66 22 Disambiguation of Terms with Spanish translations: 12 70 18 Disambiguation of Terms with Swedish translations: 13 64 23 Disambiguation of 'to reduce the workforce of': 17 81 1
  3. (transitive, euphemistic) To terminate the employment of. Tags: euphemistic, transitive Synonyms: lay off Translations (to terminate the employment of): afdanken (Dutch), afvloeien (Dutch), saada potkut (Finnish), elbocsát (Hungarian), увольнять (uvolʹnjatʹ) (Russian), сокращать (sokraščatʹ) (Russian)
    Sense id: en-downsize-en-verb-vk7aZn8g Categories (other): English euphemisms, English terms prefixed with down- Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with down-: 21 28 51 Disambiguation of 'to terminate the employment of': 1 2 98
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Derived forms: downsizable, downsizer, downsizing, dumbsize Related terms: rightsize, upsize

Inflected forms

{
  "derived": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "downsizable"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "downsizer"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "downsizing"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "dumbsize"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "down",
        "3": "size"
      },
      "expansion": "down- + size",
      "name": "prefix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From down- + size.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "downsizes",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "downsizing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "downsized",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "downsized",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "downsize (third-person singular simple present downsizes, present participle downsizing, simple past and past participle downsized)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "rightsize"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "upsize"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Joe and Edna moved to a bungalow after deciding to downsize when the children had left home.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "The company chose to downsize by laying off half of its workers.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2020 June 3, Philip Haigh, “Who can clean up Manchester's mess?”, in Rail, page 48, photo caption:",
          "text": "Class 108 DMU LO257 awaits departure from Manchester Victoria on June 19 1991. Possessing 16 platforms in the 1960s, the station was significantly downsized in the early 1990s and today just six platforms remain.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 November 25, Alexandra Goss, “Downsizers' dilemma”, in FT Weekend, House & Home, page 1:",
          "text": "While some of these moves will be prompted by, for instance, releasing equity to help children get on the property ladder, David Fell, Hamptons' senior analyst, says many will probably be downsizing to reduce mortgage payments to a more manageable level.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To reduce in size or number."
      ],
      "id": "en-downsize-en-verb-Udk8staJ",
      "links": [
        [
          "reduce",
          "reduce"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(intransitive) To reduce in size or number."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "intransitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "82 17 1",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "to reduce in size or number",
          "word": "afslanken"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "82 17 1",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "to reduce in size or number",
          "word": "reorganizeren"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "82 17 1",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to reduce in size or number",
          "word": "pienentää"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "82 17 1",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "meióno",
          "sense": "to reduce in size or number",
          "word": "μειώνω"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "82 17 1",
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "to reduce in size or number",
          "word": "skära ned"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "16 69 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "17 64 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 68 17",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "9 81 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "16 59 25",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Dutch translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 64 24",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Finnish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "26 54 20",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Greek translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "25 57 19",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Hungarian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "12 66 22",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Japanese translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "15 54 30",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Mandarin translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "12 66 22",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Russian translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "12 70 18",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Spanish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "13 64 23",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with Swedish translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "They downsized the division by offering attractive early-retirement packages and selling off an office building.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To reduce the workforce of."
      ],
      "id": "en-downsize-en-verb-v8iG-wf5",
      "links": [
        [
          "workforce",
          "workforce"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To reduce the workforce of."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "tags": [
            "euphemistic"
          ],
          "word": "rightsize"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "17 81 1",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
          "word": "裁員"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 81 1",
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "cáiyuán",
          "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
          "word": "裁员"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 81 1",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
          "word": "afslanken"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 81 1",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
          "word": "reorganizeren"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 81 1",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
          "word": "vähentää työvoimaa"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 81 1",
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "meióno",
          "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
          "word": "μειώνω"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 81 1",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
          "word": "leépít"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 81 1",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "daunsaizingu-surú",
          "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
          "word": "ダウンサイジングする"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 81 1",
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "risutora-surú",
          "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
          "word": "リストラする"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 81 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "sokraščátʹ",
          "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
          "tags": [
            "imperfective"
          ],
          "word": "сокраща́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 81 1",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "sokratítʹ",
          "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
          "tags": [
            "perfective"
          ],
          "word": "сократи́ть"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 81 1",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
          "word": "hacer recortes de personal"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 81 1",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
          "word": "hacer recortes de plantilla"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "17 81 1",
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
          "word": "reajustar la plantilla"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English euphemisms",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "21 28 51",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms prefixed with down-",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Joe got downsized and became a plumber.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To terminate the employment of."
      ],
      "id": "en-downsize-en-verb-vk7aZn8g",
      "links": [
        [
          "terminate",
          "terminate"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive, euphemistic) To terminate the employment of."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "lay off"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "euphemistic",
        "transitive"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "1 2 98",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "to terminate the employment of",
          "word": "afdanken"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 2 98",
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "to terminate the employment of",
          "word": "afvloeien"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 2 98",
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "to terminate the employment of",
          "word": "saada potkut"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 2 98",
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "to terminate the employment of",
          "word": "elbocsát"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 2 98",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "uvolʹnjatʹ",
          "sense": "to terminate the employment of",
          "word": "увольнять"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "1 2 98",
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "sokraščatʹ",
          "sense": "to terminate the employment of",
          "word": "сокращать"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈdaʊnsaɪz/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-downsize.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9f/En-us-downsize.ogg/En-us-downsize.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/En-us-downsize.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "word": "downsize"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English terms prefixed with down-",
    "English verbs",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with Dutch translations",
    "Terms with Finnish translations",
    "Terms with Greek translations",
    "Terms with Hungarian translations",
    "Terms with Japanese translations",
    "Terms with Mandarin translations",
    "Terms with Russian translations",
    "Terms with Spanish translations",
    "Terms with Swedish translations"
  ],
  "derived": [
    {
      "word": "downsizable"
    },
    {
      "word": "downsizer"
    },
    {
      "word": "downsizing"
    },
    {
      "word": "dumbsize"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "down",
        "3": "size"
      },
      "expansion": "down- + size",
      "name": "prefix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From down- + size.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "downsizes",
      "tags": [
        "present",
        "singular",
        "third-person"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "downsizing",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "present"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "downsized",
      "tags": [
        "participle",
        "past"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "downsized",
      "tags": [
        "past"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "downsize (third-person singular simple present downsizes, present participle downsizing, simple past and past participle downsized)",
      "name": "en-verb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "verb",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "rightsize"
    },
    {
      "word": "upsize"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English intransitive verbs",
        "English terms with quotations",
        "English terms with usage examples"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Joe and Edna moved to a bungalow after deciding to downsize when the children had left home.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "text": "The company chose to downsize by laying off half of its workers.",
          "type": "example"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2020 June 3, Philip Haigh, “Who can clean up Manchester's mess?”, in Rail, page 48, photo caption:",
          "text": "Class 108 DMU LO257 awaits departure from Manchester Victoria on June 19 1991. Possessing 16 platforms in the 1960s, the station was significantly downsized in the early 1990s and today just six platforms remain.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2023 November 25, Alexandra Goss, “Downsizers' dilemma”, in FT Weekend, House & Home, page 1:",
          "text": "While some of these moves will be prompted by, for instance, releasing equity to help children get on the property ladder, David Fell, Hamptons' senior analyst, says many will probably be downsizing to reduce mortgage payments to a more manageable level.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To reduce in size or number."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "reduce",
          "reduce"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(intransitive) To reduce in size or number."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "intransitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "They downsized the division by offering attractive early-retirement packages and selling off an office building.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To reduce the workforce of."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "workforce",
          "workforce"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive) To reduce the workforce of."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "tags": [
            "euphemistic"
          ],
          "word": "rightsize"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "transitive"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English euphemisms",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "English transitive verbs"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Joe got downsized and became a plumber.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "To terminate the employment of."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "terminate",
          "terminate"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(transitive, euphemistic) To terminate the employment of."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "lay off"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "euphemistic",
        "transitive"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈdaʊnsaɪz/"
    },
    {
      "audio": "en-us-downsize.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/9/9f/En-us-downsize.ogg/En-us-downsize.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9f/En-us-downsize.ogg"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "to reduce in size or number",
      "word": "afslanken"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "to reduce in size or number",
      "word": "reorganizeren"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to reduce in size or number",
      "word": "pienentää"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "meióno",
      "sense": "to reduce in size or number",
      "word": "μειώνω"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "to reduce in size or number",
      "word": "skära ned"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
      "word": "裁員"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "cáiyuán",
      "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
      "word": "裁员"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
      "word": "afslanken"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
      "word": "reorganizeren"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
      "word": "vähentää työvoimaa"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "meióno",
      "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
      "word": "μειώνω"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
      "word": "leépít"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "daunsaizingu-surú",
      "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
      "word": "ダウンサイジングする"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "risutora-surú",
      "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
      "word": "リストラする"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "sokraščátʹ",
      "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
      "tags": [
        "imperfective"
      ],
      "word": "сокраща́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "sokratítʹ",
      "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
      "tags": [
        "perfective"
      ],
      "word": "сократи́ть"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
      "word": "hacer recortes de personal"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
      "word": "hacer recortes de plantilla"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "to reduce the workforce of",
      "word": "reajustar la plantilla"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "to terminate the employment of",
      "word": "afdanken"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "to terminate the employment of",
      "word": "afvloeien"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "to terminate the employment of",
      "word": "saada potkut"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "to terminate the employment of",
      "word": "elbocsát"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "uvolʹnjatʹ",
      "sense": "to terminate the employment of",
      "word": "увольнять"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "sokraščatʹ",
      "sense": "to terminate the employment of",
      "word": "сокращать"
    }
  ],
  "word": "downsize"
}

Download raw JSONL data for downsize meaning in English (6.5kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-15 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (8a39820 and 4401a4c). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.