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
The Dial, 10 Apr. 2025
In particular, the deepening of climate damage and the rise of indebtedness are correlated and both are world problems, at a time when coordination between the great powers is at its lowest ebb since the 1930s.
—Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Chad De Guzman, Time, 30 July 2025
One year’s worth of data isn’t sufficient to tell us about a radical realignment, and the Republican youth wave certainly seems to have ebbed since last fall, but Pew provides us with yet another blinking light on the dashboard for Democrats.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ebb
Noun
This latest ebb in foreign funding fits into a broader pattern that Sierra Leone, and other countries, have grappled with for decades, Mara Kardas-Nelson reports.
—The Dial, 10 Apr. 2025
In particular, the deepening of climate damage and the rise of indebtedness are correlated and both are world problems, at a time when coordination between the great powers is at its lowest ebb since the 1930s.
—Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
More similarly tall waves are expected, though they are gradually expected to ebb in the next hours.
—Chad De Guzman, Time, 30 July 2025
One year’s worth of data isn’t sufficient to tell us about a radical realignment, and the Republican youth wave certainly seems to have ebbed since last fall, but Pew provides us with yet another blinking light on the dashboard for Democrats.
—Chris Stirewalt, The Hill, 29 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for ebb
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ebb
Noun
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These ingredients reflect a growing shift in pet wellness away from simply slowing joint deterioration and toward rebuilding comfort, restoring flexibility, and reducing inflammation at the source.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
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But the deployment of—among others—three destroyers, at least one submarine and an amphibious ready group (ARG) filled with Marines is a further deterioration in the poor relationship between Washington and Caracas that appears to have spooked Maduro.—
Ellie Cook
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The 112-year-old school building has asbestos and a deteriorating foundation.—
Erica Mosca,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
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But when the levees failed, thousands of people were trapped inside as supplies dwindled and conditions deteriorated quickly.—
Sarah Alegre,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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This risk decreases as the storm moves away.—
STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Sep. 2025
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As the storm moves away, this likelihood decreases.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Paluel faced similar power declines in 2016 when a steam generator weighing more than 450 tons collapsed while being moved, causing the plant to be shut down before coming back online a year later.—
Theo Burman
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
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The world is also facing exponential declines in biodiversity, primarily among insects.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The company travels to Rome, where Blackshirts march in the piazzas, but Duse’s health worsens.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
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Checking in with a pediatrician, school counselor, or a mental health professional can provide guidance before patterns worsen.—
Adrienne Farr,
Parents,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
By 2008, Americans were withdrawing, and combat deaths were subsiding to their lowest level since the start of the occupation.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
2 Sep. 2025
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These double peaks occur when solar activity spikes, subsides, and then returns a few years later.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
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On those three dates, variations in the moon's position relative to Earth's equator — particularly its declination — can influence tidal forces that subtly affect Earth's rotation rate.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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Where corporate criminal investigations resolve without filing any criminal charges (through a declination or deferred prosecution agreement), companies should expect victims to still voice their views loudly to the Justice Department and beyond.—
Lisa Zornberg,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Verb
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The falling soufflé as a symbol of the crumbling hotel is the kind of heavy-handed touch Solnicki rarely indulges.—
Caryn James,
HollywoodReporter,
31 Aug. 2025
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Are any of these characters real, or just in the imagination of a crumbling gambler falling deeper into the rabbit hole à la Burt Lancaster’s slow mental breakdown in The Swimmer?—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
30 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ebb.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ebb. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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