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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
But that apparent and sometimes real danger does not determine whether the tide is coming in or going out — ebbing toward failure or flooding toward success. Hugo Gurdon, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 28 Feb. 2025 But as the United States’ and the EU’s international presence ebbs, the BRICS bloc—the grouping whose earliest members were Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa and now include Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates—is likely to gain influence. Mariana Mazzucato, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for ebb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ebb
Noun
  • Submersible visits over the years have shown an increase in its deterioration, with rust and microorganisms eating away at the ship's metal. Dives over more than a decade have shown the ship is falling apart.
    George Petras, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025
  • That could mean that rate cuts are pushed off until much later this year or even delayed until next year if that deterioration takes time to materialize.
    Colby Smith, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Israel-Turkey relations deteriorated in 2010 after Israeli naval commandos intercepted a humanitarian flotilla attempting to breach the blockade on the Gaza Strip.
    Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • The ministry said that due to the sweeping tariffs imposed by the U.S., as well as the U.S.-China trade war, the growth outlook for both the U.S. and China will deteriorate.
    Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • And the over-all number of abortions in the U.S. may eventually decrease as a result of Dobbs.
    Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
  • On the other hand, just 5 percent said tariffs would decrease prices in the short term, and 30 percent said the policy would lower prices in the long term.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This is a result of a profit-first capitalist system in crisis in the epoch of imperialism’s decline.
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Most of the decline in yields was from a decrease in the real, after-inflation yield demanded by investors, which reversed some of the increase from the previous week.
    Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Eventually, those with ALS often experience trouble talking, walking, and swallowing, and the symptoms worsen over time.
    Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Rolling back rules will take time, but America’s air quality could worsen in the interim.
    Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • While the threat of more tornadoes has subsided in the Great Plains, fire danger remains elevated Monday in the region.
    Ginger Zee, ABC News, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Inflation, which went wild post-Covid, subsided in February, according to data yesterday that gave markets a brief reprieve.
    Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 13 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • 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
  • 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
Verb
  • The pitching staff began to crumble beneath a lack of reliable depth.
    Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
  • Both gentlemen were trying to win their first Green Jacket. DeChambeau crumbled while McIlroy had a rollercoaster kind of day, prevailing to win The Masters and complete the career grand slam.
    Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Ebb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ebb. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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