Definition of EBB

Choose the Right Synonym for ebb

Verb

abate, subside, wane, ebb mean to die down in force or intensity. abate stresses the idea of progressive diminishing. the storm abated subside implies the ceasing of turbulence or agitation. the protests subsided after a few days wane suggests the fading or weakening of something good or impressive. waning enthusiasm ebb suggests the receding of something (such as the tide) that commonly comes and goes. the ebbing of daylight

Examples of ebb in a Sentence

Noun

Morale seems to have reached its lowest ebb. a surprising ebb in the quality of workmanship in goods coming from that country

Verb

waiting for the tide to ebb the fortunes of the town slowly ebbed as factory after textile factory closed

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

In traditional economic models, productivity is determined by technological advances and business innovations that aren’t tied to the ebb and flow of recessions and recoveries. — Ben Casselman, New York Times, "Robots or Job Training: Manufacturers Grapple With How to Improve Their Economic Fortunes," 25 June 2018 But where constructing a story like this on television allows for ample space to play out the ebb and flow of those emotions, doing so on film is really, really tough. — Todd Vanderwerff, Vox, "Life Itself is a disaster of a movie, caught in a web of its own privilege," 21 Sep. 2018 These sequences, with lengthy focuses on emotional human faces, do ebb and flow into and out of the uncanny valley. — Sam Machkovech, Ars Technica, "Spider-Man PS4 review: Does whatever a spider can—and then some," 4 Sep. 2018 Over the decades, the company would be sold back and forth by the likes of Data East to Sega, mirroring the ebb and flow of a chaotic industry. — Peter Rugg, Popular Mechanics, "Inside America's Last Great Pinball Factory," 27 Mar. 2017 But in recent days the White House has seen the pressure ebb, as Kavanaugh’s defenders — most recently Alberto Gonzales, who served as attorney general under President George W. Bush — have provided balance. — BostonGlobe.com, "Announcement of Trump’s Supreme Court choice nears," 8 July 2018 After a brief hiatus and moment of self-reflection, the R&B vet returned with his 11th studio album, Good Man, earlier this month, which chronicles the ebb and flow of relationships. — Nerisha Penrose, Billboard, "How Ne-Yo's Wife & His Journey of Self-Reflection Helped Him Create 'Good Man' Album," 20 June 2018 There will be ebbs and flows for the surface of Earth, but the direction we're headed is clear. — Tom Randall, Bloomberg.com, "Earth’s Relentless Warming Sets a Brutal New Record in 2017," 18 Jan. 2018 The dollar fell against emerging-market currencies Thursday, as trade tensions appeared to ebb after reports earlier this week that the Trump administration was considering additional trade measures against China. — Ira Iosebashvili, WSJ, "Dollar Slides Against Emerging-Market Currencies," 12 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Fast-forward three years and the streaming services are now awash in European television, and the novelty factor on Deutschland has certainly ebbed, but a preview of the first four episodes of the new season hooked me. — Taylor Antrim, Vogue, "Escapist Spy Thriller Deutschland 86 Breaks the Curse of the Second Season," 24 Oct. 2018 Retail sales weakened marginally in real terms in September, but the slowdown has ebbed since July. — Nathaniel Taplin, WSJ, "Talk Is Cheap for China’s Economy—and Stocks," 19 Oct. 2018 Investors hoped trade tensions may be ebbing after media reports and President Donald Trump said the U.S. and Mexico are close to a trade deal. — Marley Jay, The Seattle Times, "Stocks open higher as hope for trade deal with Mexico grows," 27 Aug. 2018 While those initial new-kid nerves can ebb with experience, many still struggle with gym anxiety long after the newbie phase. — Gray Chapman, SELF, "Here's How I Conquered Weight Room Anxiety," 8 Sep. 2018 Proponents call it the Second Feminist Wave, the first having ebbed after the glorious victory of suffrage and disappeared, finally, into the sandbar of Togetherness. — Constance Grady, Vox, "The waves of feminism, and why people keep fighting over them, explained," 1 June 2018 Though the teacher strikes ebbed with the school year, deals brokered to end walkouts mostly offered temporary fixes, and no long-term solution is in sight. — Emmarie Huetteman, USA TODAY, "Unwieldy health costs often stand between teachers and higher pay," 13 June 2018 The fortunes of the 2018 Mets will ebb and flow thanks to a number of players, but perhaps none more important than Syndergaard; without him, there’s no chance of New York challenging for a playoff spot. — Jon Tayler, SI.com, "Winners and Losers From a Hectic 2018 Opening Day," 29 Mar. 2018 The Warrens were charmed despite such oddities, but the owner’s enthusiasm for selling ebbed and flowed. — Julie Lasky, New York Times, "Clinton Hill Mansion With a Rock ’n’ Roll History," 8 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'ebb.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.