decrescendo

noun/diˌkrɛˈʃɛndo/

Frequency rank: #19,963 of 20,003 in the WORDED list (wordfreq data)

Meaning

A gradual decrease in loudness in a piece of music.

Illustration for the English word “decrescendo”

Example sentence

The conductor signaled for the decrescendo at the end of the passage, and the orchestra gradually grew softer.

Synonyms & related words

  • diminuendo
  • fadeout
  • softening

More words in ranks 19,901–20,000