Diminuendo vs. Crescendo: What's the Difference?
Diminuendo and Crescendo Definitions
Diminuendo
Decrescendo.
Crescendo
A gradual increase in the volume or intensity of sound in a passage.
Diminuendo
(music) A dynamic mark directing that a passage is to be played gradually more softly
Crescendo
A passage played with a gradual increase in volume or intensity.
Diminuendo
(music) A passage having this mark
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Crescendo
A steady increase in intensity or force
"insisted [that] all paragraphs ... should be structured as a crescendo rising to a climactic last sentence" (Henry A. Kissinger).
Diminuendo
(metaphoric) The gradual dying away of something.
Crescendo
Usage Problem The climactic point or moment after such a progression
"The attacks ... began in December ... and reached a crescendo during [the president's] September visit" (Foreign Affairs).
Diminuendo
(music) played in this style
Crescendo
Gradually increasing in volume, force, or intensity.
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Diminuendo
(music) describing a passage having this mark
Crescendo
With a crescendo.
Diminuendo
In a gradually diminishing manner; with abatement of tone; decrescendo; - expressed on the staff by Dim., or Dimin., or the sign.
Crescendo
To build up to or reach a point of great intensity, force, or volume
"The designer-name craze crescendoed in the mid-seventies" (Bernice Kanner).
Diminuendo
(music) a gradual decrease in loudness
Crescendo
(music) An instruction to play gradually more loudly, denoted by a long, narrow angle with its apex on the left ( < ), by musicians called a hairpin.
Diminuendo
Gradually decreasing in volume
Crescendo
(figuratively) A gradual increase of anything, especially to a dramatic climax.
Their fighting rose in a fearsome crescendo.
Crescendo
The climax of a gradual increase.
Their arguing rose to a fearsome crescendo.
Crescendo
To increase in intensity; to reach or head for a crescendo.
The band crescendoed and then suddenly went silent.
Crescendo
(music) Gradually increasing in force or loudness.
Crescendo
With a constantly increasing volume of voice; with gradually increasing strength and fullness of tone; - a direction for the performance of music, indicated by the mark, or by writing the word on the score.
Crescendo
A gradual increase in the strength and fullness of tone with which a passage is performed.
Crescendo
(music) a gradual increase in loudness
Crescendo
Grow louder;
The music crescendoes here
Crescendo
Gradually increasing in volume
