abate

1 to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually <interest in the author's home abated as her novels waned in popularity> Synonyms decrease, decline, de-escalate, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, lessen, let up, lower, moderate, pall, phase down, ratchet (down) also rachet (down), recede, relent, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, waneRelated Words compress, condense, constrict, contract; evaporate, fade (away), fritter (away), give out, melt (away), peter (out), tail (off), vanish; slacken, slow (down); alleviate, relax; flag, sink, weaken; cave (in), collapse, deflateNear Antonyms appear, emerge, show up; blow up, distend, elongate, lengthenAntonyms accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon (also bourgeon), enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mount, mushroom, pick up, rise, snowball, soar, swell, wax

2 to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent <a couple of aspirin should abate the pain> Synonyms decrease, de-escalate, dent, deplete, diminish, downscale, downsize, drop, dwindle, ease, knock down, lessen, lower, reduceRelated Words compress, condense, constrict, contract; abbreviate, abridge, clip, crop, curtail, cut, cut back, cut down, dock, nick, pare, prune, retrench, shorten, slash, trim, truncate, whittle; deflate, shrink; minimize; moderate, modify, modulate, qualifyNear Antonyms blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, swell; elongate, extend, lengthen, prolong, protract; add (to), complement, supplement; enhance, heighten, intensify; redoubleAntonyms aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, enlarge, escalate, expand, increase, raise

3 to put an end to by formal action <asked the appellate court to abate the lower court's ruling allowing the patient to be removed from life support> Synonyms abolish, abrogate, annul, avoid, cancel, disannul, dissolve, invalidate, negate, null, nullify, quash, repeal, rescind, roll back, strike down, vacate, voidRelated Words countermand, override, overrule, overturn, veto; abort, call, call off, drop, recall, retract, reverse, revoke, suspend, withdraw; ban, enjoin, forbid, outlaw, prohibit; disallow, dismiss, reject; annihilate, break down, eliminate, eradicate, erase, liquidate, remove, throw out, write offNear Antonyms enact, lay down, legislate; establish, found, institute; formalize, legalize, legitimate, legitimize, validate; pass, ratify; allow, approve, authorize, clear, endorse (also indorse), permit, sanction, warrant; command, decree, mandate, order, prescribe

4 to take away (an amount or number) from a total <I managed to get the used car dealer to abate $200 from the sticker price> Synonyms subtract, deduct, knock off, take offRelated Words decrease, diminish, discount, downsize, dwindle, knock down, lessen, lower, reduce; abbreviate, abridge, clip, crop, curtail, cut, cut back, cut down, dock, pare, prune, retrench, shorten, slash, trim, truncate, whittleNear Antonyms adjoin, annex, append; complement, supplement; enhance, heighten, intensify, magnify; aggrandize, amplify, augment, beef (up), boost, compound, enlarge, escalate, expand, increase, multiply, raiseAntonyms add, tack (on)

5 to take something away from <recurring problems could not abate her of her enthusiasm for the project> Synonyms deprive, bereave, divest, stripRelated Words denude; cheat, clean (out), defraud, shortchange; bankrupt, disfurnish, impoverish