* In music: The opposite of a crescendo (gradually getting louder) is a decrescendo (gradually getting softer), also known as a diminuendo.
* In general usage:
* If you're talking about a gradual increase in intensity, the opposite could be diminishing, waning, declining, or subsiding.
* If you're talking about a gradual increase in volume, the opposite could be quieting, softening, or subduing.
So, the specific opposite of "crescendo" depends on the context.