SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
ebb
verb / noun
To decline or gradually diminish.
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Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Read this word in Dave's Corner
The Bell That Rang at Low Tide · paragraph 2Gradually decline
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topRecede fits literal tides; wane and fade readily describe enthusiasm or strength.
The movement of the tide away from the shore.
Closest synonyms
Usage distinction
Return to topThe ebb left the dinghy resting on wet sand.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See ebb in use
Their enthusiasm began to ebb after the third delay.
After the first week of a neighborhood storytelling project, excitement began to ebb as volunteers encountered the slower work of editing recordings.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license