DOWNSIZE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does downsize mean? 

• DOWNSIZE (verb)
  The verb DOWNSIZE has 3 senses:

1. dismiss from work

2. design or manufacture in a smaller size

3. (of a company) reduce in size or number of employees

  Familiarity information: DOWNSIZE used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DOWNSIZE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they downsize    ... he / she / it downsizes   
Past simple: downsized   
Past participle: downsized   
-ing form: downsizing   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Dismiss from work

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Context example:

three secretaries were downsized during the financial crisis

Hypernyms (to "downsize" is one way to...):

furlough; lay off (dismiss, usually for economic reasons)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sense 2

Meaning:

Design or manufacture in a smaller size

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

the car makers downsized the SUVs when fuel became very expensive

Hypernyms (to "downsize" is one way to...):

reduce; shrink (reduce in size; reduce physically)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 3

Meaning:

(of a company) reduce in size or number of employees

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Context example:

the company downsized its research staff

Hypernyms (to "downsize" is one way to...):

bring down; cut; cut back; cut down; reduce; trim; trim back; trim down (cut down on; make a reduction in)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

 Context examples 

Previous observations by Hubble's Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) revealed that the planet may be downsizing.

(Hubble Captures Blistering Pitch-Black Planet, NASA)

Your mother may be interested in downsizing to a smaller home or investigating assisted-living facilities to choose one that feels right for her.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)

Astronomers have followed this downsizing since the 1930s.

(Jupiter's great red spot is shrinking, NASA)

I am happy to report this, for many Aquarians have written to me on Twitter and Instagram (I am @astrologyzone) saying that they were either dissatisfied with their present jobs and frustrated that they couldn’t find a new job, or they reported that they were unable to get work after having been downsized.

(AstrologyZone.com, by Susan Miller)