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abating 1 of 2

adjective

as in subsiding

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abating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of abate
1
as in decreasing
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually interest in the author's home abated as her novels waned in popularity

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2
as in reducing
to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent a couple of aspirin should abate the pain

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3
as in abolishing
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

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4
as in subtracting
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

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5
as in stripping
to take something away from recurring problems could not abate her of her enthusiasm for the project

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of abating
Verb
But the rancor around his attendance at the ceremony has shown no sign of abating. — Gloria Pazmino, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026 The supply shortage for memory and components shows few signs of abating, signaling that gadgets may be more expensive going forward, permanently changing demand patterns and competition. — Kif Leswing, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026 The family feud in the Beckham household shows no signs of abating. — Alessandra De Tommasi, Vanity Fair, 7 Aug. 2026 Meanwhile, the conflict shows no signs of abating. — Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 12 June 2026 Inflation crossed 4 percent for the first time in three years in May, exacerbating Americans’ pain at the pump and dealing a fresh political blow to the White House, as the Iran war’s toll on consumers shows no sign of abating. — Andrew Ackerman, Washington Post, 10 June 2026 That war, now in its fourth year with little sign of abating, has killed hundreds of thousands, displaced about 14 million people and left almost 20 million facing acute hunger. — Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026 On Komote Island, the El Molo's problems show little sign of abating. — Tommy Trenchard, NPR, 31 May 2026 Louisiana’s congressional map Last week’s blockbuster Supreme Court decision abating a central Voting Rights Act provision struck down Louisiana’s congressional map. — Ella Lee, The Hill, 6 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abating
  1. waning
  2. subsiding
  3. reducing
  4. abolishing
  5. subtracting
  6. stripping
  7. decreasing
  8. repealing
Adjective
  • Even better, the peak of this shower, which should produce on average between 8 to 10 meteors per hour, will arrive under dark skies thanks to a meager waning crescent moon.
    — Michael d'Estries, Travel + Leisure, 16 Jan. 2026
Definition of waning
Verb
  • Multiple Kelvin waves These waves can bring elevated sea levels for weeks at a time, eventually subsiding before the next wave hits.
    — Zoe Mintz, CBS News, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Two of them coincide with areas where satellite radar shows that the ground is actively subsiding.
    — Nolan Roth, Scientific American, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of subsiding
Verb
  • Shower filters are better at reducing substances like chlorine, sediment and certain metals.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The Fed’s goal is to slow consumer and business spending by raising the cost of borrowing, thereby reducing demand for homes, cars and other goods and services, eventually cooling the economy and reducing upward pressure on prices.
    — Paul Wiseman, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of reducing
Verb
  • This July, the EU enacted one of their demands, abolishing the customs duty exemption below €150 and introducing a temporary €3 duty per item.
    — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Others, like abolishing the Senate and Supreme Court, are more controversial and used by Republicans to hammer DSA candidates as out of step with the American mainstream.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of abolishing
Verb
  • Back in the early spring, the idea of subtracting a durable 33-game starter (and a former second-round pick) from a defensive line that seemed to be an area of major concern for the Bears would have been unthinkable.
    — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Not to be outdone, math-magicians on Capitol Hill have been busily subtracting workdays.
    — Pat Beall, Sun Sentinel, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of subtracting
Verb
  • Despite those dynamics, there was talk in recent days on Capitol Hill about the prospect of stripping the Washington congresswoman of her sole committee assignment.
    — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Junior defensive end David Santiago, a transfer from Michigan State, forced and recovered a fumble by stripping the ball from a Sharks running back.
    — Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of stripping
Verb
  • Little brown bats can similarly reduce their metabolic demands by going Dracula for months at a time, decreasing their body temperatures by more than fifty degrees Fahrenheit and slowing their respiration to a handful of breaths an hour.
    — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The steadiest and most widespread coverage of any rain should be early in the day with the coverage decreasing during the afternoon and evening.
    — Rachael Jay, CBS News, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of decreasing
Verb
  • On his 71st birthday, Pope Leo XIV gave Vatican workers a raise, repealing pandemic-era salary cuts and frozen pay hikes first imposed under Pope Francis to shore up finances.
    — Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • The Council earlier this month approved an ordinance repealing a July measure that directed the city manager to assess living conditions at the apartments and make emergency repairs.
    — Dylan Lysen, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of repealing

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abates
abating
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Cite this Entry

“Abating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abating. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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