as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
seniors who stay active can keep at bay some of the inevitable ebbing of the memory that comes with advanced years
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in waning
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Dissimilar Words
1
as in deteriorating
to become worse or of less value
the fortunes of the town slowly ebbed as factory after textile factory closed
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2
as in subsiding
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the howling winds ebbed as the hurricane moved into the interior
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Recent Examples of ebbing
Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
Tom Philp, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
Daylight was ebbing as rescuers set up.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
Zelensky is hobbled at home, power cuts and frontline casualties blighting morale, and the repeat agony of loss, diplomatic deceit and pressure, coupled with ebbing aid, lead so many to question where this story ends without a growing Russian win?
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 3 Dec. 2025
Some Fed officials worry about flying blind on data at a time when the most recent readings point to a softening labor market but inflation that, while ebbing slightly, is still considerably above the Fed’s 2% target.
—Jeff Cox, CNBC, 13 Nov. 2025
Rising drug and hospital costs are often cited as major culprits for rising health insurance costs, and neither shows signs of ebbing.
—Phil Galewitz, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
In that period, with the Covid pandemic ebbing, thousands were detained and sent home.
—Verb
The state’s political appetite to keep transitioning away from oil has been clearly ebbing as residents balk at the cost of everything in California, most notably the chronically high cost of gasoline and the periodic spikes during a hiccup in production.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for ebbing
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.—
-
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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For now, all that can be said for certain, judging by the latest implosion in his current employers West Ham’s fast-deteriorating season, is that nobody has benefited from his falling-out with Edu and the sequence of events that brought about Nuno’s exit from the City Ground.—
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Iran has been racked by protests over the past several days around deteriorating economic conditions in the country, made worse by a growing water crisis and severe sanctions against Tehran.—
Verb
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Beyond the curse of high expectations, other headwinds that weighed on Eaton's shares appear to be subsiding, including capacity expansion.—
-
Hurricane conditions are occurring within the warning area in Cuba but expected to begin subsiding this afternoon.—
Noun
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While the economy has been resilient for the most part, any weakening in 2026 could have an outsize effect on more price-sensitive consumers and, therefore, airlines that are more exposed to coach-class domestic travel, like lower-cost carriers.—
-
One is the weakening of the American economy.—
Verb
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The ensuing 2022-23 season saw Rayo beat both Barca and Madrid when Spain’s big two came to their crumbling Estadio Vallecas.—
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Frank’s crew rolls into the crumbling squat that is Colombian HQ, sporting body armor and flamethrowers.—
Verb
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For women, this meant decreasing intake to about 400 to 600 calories three days per week, while men reduced calories to around 500 to 700.—
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An expensive habit with a decreasing ROI.—
Noun
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Teeth become diseased with decay and resorptive lesions and, when removed, these cats often lead much happier and more comfortable lives.—
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These fission reactors relied on the slow decay of uranium to generate heat and electricity.—
Verb
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The next year, there was a nearly 10 percent rise in homelessness in the city, worsening an already difficult situation.—
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Hurricane Milton also opened Milton Pass, slicing Stump Pass Beach State Park in half and destabilizing nearby barrier islands, which could lead to worsening beach erosion.—
Cite this Entry
“Ebbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ebbing. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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