as in deterioration
a change to a lower state or level
a surprising ebb in the quality of workmanship in goods coming from that country
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
the fortunes of the town slowly ebbed as factory after textile factory closed
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to decrease
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the howling winds ebbed as the hurricane moved into the interior
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of 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
Greg O'Keeffe, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
Aquifers in Chula Vista (in San Diego County), Santa Ana (Orange County) and Santa Clara (Bay Area) were seen to ebb and swell with periods, respectively, of drought and precipitation.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for 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
De Jong has five more starts than Pepi, and three fewer goals which would suggest that, at 34, his prolific powers are beginning to ebb.
—Greg O'Keeffe, The Athletic, 25 Nov. 2024
Aquifers in Chula Vista (in San Diego County), Santa Ana (Orange County) and Santa Clara (Bay Area) were seen to ebb and swell with periods, respectively, of drought and precipitation.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ebb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ebb
Noun
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As leaders in the industry who have spent countless hours underground repairing failing gas lines, our licensed gas contractors have witnessed firsthand the deterioration of our state’s natural gas infrastructure.—
Harley Flack,
Baltimore Sun,
3 Apr. 2025
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Not spending enough time in the two deep stages of slumber might speed up the deterioration of parts of the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease, a new study found.—
Daniel Wine,
CNN Money,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Over the next two decades, Boyer and Kochan were inseparable — even as Kochan’s cancer progressed and her health deteriorated.—
Lynsey Eidell,
People.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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And regardless of today’s numbers, the labor market could deteriorate very quickly amid Trump’s new tariffs, according to Yardeni Research.—
Josh Fellman,
Quartz,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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However, their wage bills only decreased by 28 per cent.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
2 Apr. 2025
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Keeping those cuts on the books would decrease revenue by $4.5 trillion from 2025 through 2034, according to estimates from the Tax Foundation.—
Ryan Ermey,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Apparel exports from Turkey saw a decline of 6 percent in January-February 2025, and a drop of 4.47 percent year-on-year in 2024, with the last month of the year falling almost 11 percent.—
Mayu Saini,
Sourcing Journal,
8 Apr. 2025
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The exhibition community and studios alike have suffered some cruel blows, but for now the domestic marketplace seems to be settling in at around a 20% decline from 2019.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Eventually, those with ALS often experience trouble talking, walking, and swallowing, and the symptoms worsen over time.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2025
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Rolling back rules will take time, but America’s air quality could worsen in the interim.—
Zoë Schlanger,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The swelling in the area never subsided, prompting surgery to clean up bone spurs that had traveled dangerously close to his Achilles tendon.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2025
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The rain, expected to begin late Sunday, will subside by Monday afternoon, but below-average temperatures will hang around all week, according to the National Weather Service.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
30 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In contrast, during 2016-16 the lunar declination varied from only 18.5 degrees north to 18.5 degrees south.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
7 Feb. 2025
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Red and declinations to rust and burgundy at Ferragamo and Bottega Veneta.—
WWD,
WWD,
3 Sep. 2019
Verb
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When workers suspect the game is rigged in favor of the boss's nephew or the CEO's daughter, the belief that hard work leads to recognition—the backbone of productive workplaces—begins to crumble.—
Jonathan H. Westover,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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The Wild, who are crumbling at the seams, fell to 1-4-2 in their past seven thanks to an 0-1-2 road trip.—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
5 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ebb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ebb. Accessed 13 Apr. 2025.
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