dwindle

/ˈdwin-dᵊl/

probably frequentative of dwine to waste away, from Middle English, from Old English dwīnan; akin to Old Norse dvīna to pine away, deyja to die

verb

  1. to become steadily less : shrink

  2. to make steadily less

Their savings dwindled to nothing.

decrease lessen diminish reduce abate dwindle mean to grow or make less. decrease suggests a progressive decline in size, amount, numbers, or intensity. lessen suggests a decline in amount rather than in number.