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ebb

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verb

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word ebb distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of ebb are abate, subside, and wane. While all these words mean "to die down in force or intensity," ebb suggests the receding of something (such as the tide) that commonly comes and goes.

the ebbing of daylight

When could abate be used to replace ebb?

While the synonyms abate and ebb are close in meaning, abate stresses the idea of progressive diminishing.

the storm abated

When can subside be used instead of ebb?

In some situations, the words subside and ebb are roughly equivalent. However, subside implies the ceasing of turbulence or agitation.

the protests subsided after a few days

When might wane be a better fit than ebb?

The words wane and ebb can be used in similar contexts, but wane suggests the fading or weakening of something good or impressive.

waning enthusiasm

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ebb
Noun
September 2024: Craig Conover gives an interview indicating that his feud with Kyle may be on its ebb. Bethy Squires, Vulture, 14 Mar. 2025 Fans gear up for Moyes’ return (Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images) Moyes walked into a club at a miserably low ebb. Patrick Boyland, The Athletic, 20 Feb. 2025
Verb
There was hope water rescues would ebb today in Kentucky and allow crews to reset and prepare for winter weather, Eric Gibson, director of the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management, said Tuesday. Hanna Park, Robert Shackelford and Mary Gilbert, CNN, 18 Feb. 2025 But as the pandemic ebbed, ExThera’s sales to hospitals peaked at a few million dollars and then began to decline. John Carreyrou, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ebb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ebb
Noun
  • This may further contribute to a deterioration in hard data and usher in an economic recession.
    Lisa Kailai Han, CNBC, 28 Apr. 2025
  • That led to a deterioration of ties with Pakistan, which also claims the region.
    Fayaz Bukhari, USA Today, 24 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • That volume is masking deteriorating demand from key sectors - particularly domestic manufacturing, which drives more than 60% of big rig ton miles, and ocean imports.
    Lisa Baertlein, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025
  • Armed violence fuels nutrition crisis for Haitian families Famine is looming in Haiti as violence between armed groups continues, alongside extreme poverty and a deteriorating economy.
    Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The number of Jesuits globally has steadily decreased since the 1960s, when there were more than 36,000.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Winds will decrease Friday night before increasing again Saturday morning.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • But its sales in the Greater China region, including Hong Kong and Taiwan, fell slightly to $16 billion, about a 2% decline from the previous year.
    John Liu, CNN Money, 2 May 2025
  • American craft distilleries are facing some tough times, with the looming threat of tariffs, declines in sales, and established operations having to declare bankruptcy.
    Jonah Flicker, Robb Report, 1 May 2025
Verb
  • The administration’s threat of tariffs on pharmaceuticals risks political backlash, worsening drug shortages and future battles over who pays.
    Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Some evidence suggests that creatine may worsen mania symptoms in people with bipolar disorder.
    Jillian Kubala, Health, 21 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • But much of that has subsided now; the Steelers, after all, don’t have a second-round pick and trading up could be out of the question as a result.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2025
  • While immediate inflation concerns have subsided, the current administration's aggressive tariff and immigration policies are creating new economic anxieties that could lead to future instability.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The changing declination also defines the daily arc that the sun takes across the sky, thereby accounting for the length of daylight.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 6 Feb. 2025
  • The sun's changing declination is what determines whether the sun's rays strike us at a low angle or more directly.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 6 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • The ongoing humanitarian crisis is worsened by widespread poverty, food insecurity, and a crumbling health care system, displacing over a million people from their homes in search of safety.
    Tom Rogers, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Here’s what students and educators across the state told us about the floods and leaks, overcrowding and inaccessibility, safety and outages, crumbling buildings and heating and cooling problems that impact every part of their day.
    Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 27 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ebb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ebb. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

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