Sentence:  In Seth's presence Mr Biswas felt <WSD>diminished</WSD>. Everything about Seth was overpowering: his calm manner, his smooth grey hair, his ivory holder, his hard swollen forearms ... 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  To lessen the authority or dignity of; to put down; to degrade; to abase; to weaken; to nerf ("in gaming").