What does shallowing mean?
Shallowing is the noun form of shallow and normally refers to a process in which water or another medium becomes less deep. It may describe a natural change, such as a lake gradually becoming shallower as sediment accumulates, or a human intervention intended to reduce depth, such as dredging or removing material from a channel. The word can also refer to the process of making something less deep, although this use is less common. Shallowing is especially frequent in environmental science, hydrology, coastal geography, engineering, and discussions of rivers, reservoirs, seas, and wetlands. Its appearance usually implies a gradual change rather than a sudden event. In everyday speech, people often say that a body of water is becoming shallower, while the noun form is favored in more formal and technical discussion.
The process of becoming less deep or of making something less deep.
"Changes in rainfall have contributed to the shallowing of the wetland."
Often used in technical or environmental contexts; usually describes a gradual process.
The present participle of shallow, especially in the sense of becoming or making less deep.
"The channel is steadily shallowing near the harbor."
This is an inflected verb form rather than an independent lexical verb.
The plural is possible but uncommon; the process is more often expressed by the uncountable singular.
"The records document successive shallowings of the estuary."
Water can shallow gradually as sediment accumulates, seabeds rise, or coastal boundaries shift over time.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does shallowing come from?
Shallowing ultimately derives from shallow, which comes through Middle English from Old English scealwe. The Old English adjective belongs to a Germanic family that also includes forms related to shallow water, and related words have cognates in other Germanic languages. The present participle and gerund form used today follows the regular English formation in -ing.
Related word forms
How shallowing is actually used
Most often used in technical, environmental, geographical, or engineering contexts. In general prose, shallower or a more specific verb may sound more natural.