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⇱ wane - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

wane

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UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈweɪn/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/weɪn/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(wān)

Inflections of 'wane' (v): (⇒ conjugate)
wanes
v 3rd person singular
waning
v pres p
waned
v past
waned
v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
wane /weɪn/USA pronunciation   v., waned, wan•ing, n. 
v. [no object]
  1. to decrease, as in strength or intensity:His influence had waned in the company.
  2. Astronomy(of the moon) to decrease in brightness and roundness after the full moon, in regular periods.Compare wax2 (def. 2).

n. [countable]
  1. an act or period of waning.
Idioms
  1. Idioms on the wane, decreasing;
    losing power;
    diminishing.


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
wane  (wān),USA pronunciation v., waned, wan•ing, n. 
v.i. 
    1. to decrease in strength, intensity, etc.:Daylight waned, and night came on. Her enthusiasm for the cause is waning.
    2. to decline in power, importance, prosperity, etc.:Colonialism began to wane after World War II.
    3. to draw to a close;
      approach an end:Summer is waning.
    4. Astronomy(of the moon) to decrease periodically in the extent of its illuminated portion after the full moon. Cf. wax 2 (def. 2).

    n. 
    1. a gradual decrease or decline in strength, intensity, power, etc.
    2. the drawing to a close of life, an era, a period, etc.
    3. Astronomythe waning of the moon.
    4. a period of waning.
    5. 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.
    6. on the wane, decreasing;
      diminishing:The popularity of that song is on the wane.
    • bef. 900; Middle English wanen (verb, verbal), Old English wanian to lessen; cognate with Middle Dutch, Middle High German wanen, Old Norse vana to cause to wane, destroy
      1. 2. diminish, fail, sink. 5. diminution; failure, decay.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
wane /weɪn/ vb (intransitive)
  1. (of the moon) to show a gradually decreasing portion of illuminated surface, between full moon and new moon
    Compare wax2
  2. to decrease gradually in size, strength, power, etc
  3. to draw to a close
 n
  1. a decrease, as in size, strength, power, etc
  2. the period during which the moon wanes
  3. the act or an instance of drawing to a close
  4. a rounded surface or defective edge of a plank, where the bark was
  5. on the wane ⇒ in a state of decline
Etymology: Old English wanian (vb); related to wan-, prefix indicating privation, wana defect, Old Norse vanaˈwaney, ˈwany adj
'wane' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: a wane in [popularity, intensity, importance, sales], [interest, popularity] is on the wane, the [epidemic, violence, conflict] is on the wane, more...

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