wane
To become gradually smaller or weaker.
wane in a sentence
- As the moon waned, the nights grew darker and darker.
- By teatime the storm began to wane, the wind dropping until it was just a whisper.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to wane?
- Aswell
- Bshrink
- Cstrengthen
- Dgrow
Show the answer
B: shrink. The other three mean the opposite of wane.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to wane?
- Aweaken
- Bgrow
- Cfade
- Dshrink
Show the answer
B: grow. The other three mean nearly the same as wane.
Words that mean something similar
shrink, fade, weaken
Words that mean the opposite
grow, swell, strengthen
More words about time & change
- abolish: To officially get rid of something completely, such as a rule or law.
- abrupt: Sudden and quick, often in a way that feels rude or unexpected.
- accustom: To get yourself used to something new.
- amend: To change something slightly to make it better or correct.
- ancient: Very old; from a long, long time ago.
- antique: Very old and often valuable.
- antiquity: The distant past, especially the times of ancient Greece and Rome.
- awry: Not going as planned; twisted to one side.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test