ebb

1 to become worse or of less value the fortunes of the town slowly ebbed as factory after textile factory closed Synonyms atrophy, crumble, decay, decline, degenerate, descend, devolve, deteriorate, regress, retrograde, rot, sink, worsenRelated Words abate, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, recede, wane; break down, corrupt, decompose, degrade, dilapidate, disintegrate, molder, putrefy; sour, spoil; lessen, lower, reduce; debilitate, undermine; droop, fail, fall, flag, lag, languish, run down, sag, slip, waste (away), weaken, wiltNear Antonyms better, upgrade; enhance, enrich, fortify, heighten, intensify, strengthen; advance, develop, march, proceed, progressAntonyms ameliorate, improve, meliorate

2 to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually the howling winds ebbed as the hurricane moved into the interior Synonyms abate, decline, de-escalate, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, decrease, 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