minimize

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: min=i=mize

CIDE DICTIONARY

minimize, v. t. 

•  To reduce to the smallest part or proportion possible; to reduce to a minimum.  Bentham.  [1913 Webster]
•  To represent, to oneself or others, as of no importance or minimal importance or effect; to belittle or disarage.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

minimize, v. (also -ise)
1 tr. reduce to, or estimate at, the smallest possible amount or degree.
2 tr. estimate or represent at less than the true value or importance.
3 intr. attain a minimum value.

Derivative

minimization n. minimizer n.

THESAURUS

minimize

abbreviate, abridge, bedwarf, belittle, bring down, bring into discredit, bring low, cry down, curtail, cut down, de-emphasize, debase, decrease, decry, degrade, deprecate, depreciate, derogate, derogate from, detract from, devaluate, devalue, diminish, disapprove of, discount, discredit, disgrace, disparage, dispraise, downplay, dwarf, hold in contempt, knock, lessen, make light of, make little of, make nothing of, minify, misestimate, misprize, play down, prune, put down, reduce, reflect discredit upon, run down, sell short, set at naught, set little by, shorten, shrink, shrug off, slight, speak ill of, submit to indignity, talk down, think little of, think nothing of, underestimate, underplay, underprize, underrate, underreckon, undervalue

ROGET THESAURUS

minimize

Underestimation

VB underrate, underestimate, undervalue, underreckon, depreciate, disparage, not do justice to, misprize, disprize, ridicule, slight, neglect, slur over, make light of, make little of, make nothing of, make no account of, belittle, minimize, think nothing of, set no store by, set at naught, shake off as dewdrops from the lion's mane.