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
Olivia Le Poidevin, USA Today, 5 Dec. 2025
In an interview with a Taiwanese reporter, Lou explained that most of An Unfinished Film was shot in 2021, during an ebb in the pandemic.
—Yangyang Cheng, NPR, 4 Oct. 2025
Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Dec. 2025
Finland still reads the Declaration of Christmas Peace each Christmas Eve – a ceremonial reminder of an older hope that violence might briefly ebb.
—Andrew Latham, The Conversation, 20 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ebb
Noun
Ben Robertson, a Eurovision expert from fan website ESC Insight, said the contest's integrity was at its lowest ebb.
—Verb
In the years since its release, the original Back to the Future has barely ebbed in popularity.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for ebb
Noun
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With the deterioration and rise of crime in South Beach in the late 1970s, as well as inflation and the shrinking tourist business, the Famous was forced to close in 1981.—
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While analysts do not expect the rift to escalate into direct conflict, even a limited deterioration could carry far-reaching consequences.—
Verb
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The price of gold, long understood to be the investor’s refuge against a deteriorating dollar, is sounding an alarm.—
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When those conditions are absent, performance deteriorates quickly.—
Verb
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Newsom claims homelessness decline Newsom during his final State of the State address Thursday claimed the state’s homeless population decreased last year.—
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Meanwhile, the number of job openings have decreased nearly 10% on the year to 729,000 in the September to November period from a year ago, the ONS found.—
Noun
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Wholesale market prices for milk, cheese and butter have been lower than normal for about a year, but had more of a significant decline in the past six months, Cain said.—
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Today, similar prudence animates concerns about NATO and broader trans-Atlantic ties in an era when Europe has undergone profound transformations through mass migration, supranational governance, demographic decline, and shifting cultural priorities.—
Verb
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Along with everything else, Johnson sought to erase the Murphy’s Law mentality of a team that always seemed to find ways to crumble in big moments.—
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McKnight was temporarily living in a crumbling budget hotel nearby.—
Verb
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Mariners traversing the bar are urged to exercise extreme caution or stay in port until the threat subsides.—
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These findings have prompted the development of interventions designed to create time and space between an individual’s suicidal impulse and access to firearms, allowing acute urges to subside.—
Noun
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Nachmanoff pressed the Justice Department over whether a formal declination memo deciding against charges for Comey exists.—
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McLaughlin characterized the Fullerton officer’s response as a declination to help.—
Verb
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The city said the decision was a result of several years worth of mounting safety concerns, ordinance violations and residential complaints about the vacant structure’s worsening state.—
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The immense costs associated with the program have only worsened the economic situation, leading to a more stifling environment.—
Cite this Entry
“Ebb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ebb. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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