afnemende

Afnemende is a Dutch present participle adjective derived from the verb afnemen (to decrease, to take away). It denotes something that is decreasing, waning, or diminishing over time and is used to describe trends, quantities, or conditions that lessen. In everyday and formal Dutch, afnemende is most often used attributively before a noun, as in afnemende belangstelling (waning interest), afnemende productie (decreasing production), or afnemende vraag (diminishing demand). It can also appear in predicative constructions when describing a state, such as De belangstelling neemt af.

Origin and form: Afnemende is formed by adding the participle suffix -ende to afnemen, placing it in the same family as other -ende adjectives like stijgende (increasing) and dalende (falling). It functions to convey dynamic change rather than a static condition.

Usage notes: The term is neutral and widely used across domains such as journalism, economics, science, and public discourse to describe downward trends in metrics, attitudes, or activity. It is often contrasted with stijgende (rising) or groei (growth) to highlight changes in a sequence or cycle. While primarily descriptive, it can carry evaluative nuance depending on context.

Examples:

- Afnemende belangstelling voor het product. (Wan­ing interest in the product.)

- Afnemende productie leidt tot lagere omzet. (Decreasing production leads to lower revenue.)

- Afnemende vraag naar fossiele brandstoffen wordt genoemd in beleidsdocumenten. (Diminishing demand for fossil fuels is mentioned in policy documents.)

See also: afname, daling, krimp, verminderende.