[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/downsize/)

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# downsize

verb (downsize, downsizes, downsized, downsizing)

«downsize» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To make a company smaller by cutting the number of workers. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downsize/#m1)
2. To move to a smaller house or use something smaller, often to save money. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downsize/#m2)
3. (euphemism) «We are downsizing» can be a soft way of saying people are losing their jobs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downsize/#m3)

### In the lessons

In news and business «downsizing» means jobs are cut; in family life grandparents downsize to a smaller home when children leave. Phrases: «downsize the staff», «downsize to a flat».

### Examples

- The company downsized and 50 workers lost their jobs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downsize/#x1)
- Grandma downsized to a small flat near us. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downsize/#x2)
- We downsized to a smaller car to save petrol. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downsize/#x3)
- Dad was let go when his firm downsized. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downsize/#x4)
- After the kids left home, they decided to downsize. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downsize/#x5)
- If a firm of 200 downsizes by a quarter, 150 workers are left. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downsize/#x6)

### Note

Regular verb. Noun: downsizing. It is a softer word than «sack» or «fire» — a euphemism. In maths, «downsized by 20 workers» means subtract 20; «by a quarter» means take away one quarter of the number.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «downsize» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/downsize/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«downsize» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/downsize.html) on Mova free.