Decrescendo – Gradually getting quieter

(Pronounced dee-kri-shen-doh)

To remember what decrescendo means, use the following mnemonic:

The decrease in the noise after creche ended (decrescendo), as the parents drove away was a gradual decline but it was such a relief. 

Decrescendo means to decrease in volume while diminuendo means to decrease in volume and slow down.

Examples of decrescendo in a sentence

The passage got so quiet at the decrescendo that I could barely hear a note.

At one point we have a wall of dissonant sound, then it begins to fade to almost imperceptible melody: the effect of this decrescendo is incredible.

In her previous compositions, the fireworks came at the end; in her new piece, the end is more like a petering out, a decrescendo.