as in deterioration
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
seniors who stay active can keep at bay some of the inevitable ebbing of the memory that comes with advanced years
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in waning
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
1
as in deteriorating
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 subsiding
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
the howling winds ebbed as the hurricane moved into the interior
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of ebbing
David Frum, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
Any ebbing of drone strikes could be deceptive, with Iran amassing them for another swarming assault.
—Mikhail Alexseev, Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026
In that period, with the Covid pandemic ebbing, thousands were detained and sent home.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
The effects of its costly price war with T-Mobile seem to be ebbing.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
They wed in September 2021, in the ebbing months of the pandemic.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 Jan. 2026
The state’s political appetite to keep transitioning away from oil has been clearly ebbing as residents balk at the cost of everything in California, most notably the chronically high cost of gasoline and the periodic spikes during a hiccup in production.
—Tom Philp, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
Daylight was ebbing as rescuers set up.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
Zelensky is hobbled at home, power cuts and frontline casualties blighting morale, and the repeat agony of loss, diplomatic deceit and pressure, coupled with ebbing aid, lead so many to question where this story ends without a growing Russian win?
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 3 Dec. 2025
Rising drug and hospital costs are often cited as major culprits for rising health insurance costs, and neither shows signs of ebbing.
—Phil Galewitz, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
Those who feel their power ebbing, however, may bluster and bellow.
—David Frum, The Atlantic, 8 Apr. 2026
Any ebbing of drone strikes could be deceptive, with Iran amassing them for another swarming assault.
—Mikhail Alexseev, Twin Cities, 22 Mar. 2026
In that period, with the Covid pandemic ebbing, thousands were detained and sent home.
—Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
Verb
An outbreak forced farmers and commercial producers to slaughter entire broods of egg-laying hens, but ebbing cases in the second half of last year helped restore egg supplies, said Mark Jordan, the executive director of agricultural research firm LEAP Market Analytics.
—ABC News, 1 Apr. 2026
The effects of its costly price war with T-Mobile seem to be ebbing.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 30 Mar. 2026
They wed in September 2021, in the ebbing months of the pandemic.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 16 Jan. 2026
The state’s political appetite to keep transitioning away from oil has been clearly ebbing as residents balk at the cost of everything in California, most notably the chronically high cost of gasoline and the periodic spikes during a hiccup in production.
—Tom Philp, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
Daylight was ebbing as rescuers set up.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
Zelensky is hobbled at home, power cuts and frontline casualties blighting morale, and the repeat agony of loss, diplomatic deceit and pressure, coupled with ebbing aid, lead so many to question where this story ends without a growing Russian win?
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 3 Dec. 2025
Rising drug and hospital costs are often cited as major culprits for rising health insurance costs, and neither shows signs of ebbing.
—Phil Galewitz, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ebbing
Noun
-
Still, any miscalculation or direct confrontation at sea could tip the diplomatic posturing into rapid deterioration and risk jeopardizing the fragile stability in the detente between Washington and Beijing.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Toss any berries showing signs of deterioration.—
Jessica Farthing,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
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
Verb
-
Kennedy Center leadership is conducting tours with congressional staff and donors to demonstrate that the building needs major renovation due to water damage, HVAC issues and deteriorating infrastructure.—
Steven Sloan,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Lake County has taken the first steps towards absorbing the responsibilities of the essentially defunct Del Mar Woods Sanitary District, a tiny government unit consisting of a subdivision with fewer than 90 lots and deteriorating sewer pipes.—
Joseph States,
Chicago Tribune,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But there were no signs that the conflict was subsiding.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
But, by the end of May, the issue was not subsiding.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Meanwhile, Democrats took the opportunity to grill Kennedy on the upsurge in vaccine-preventable diseases, such as measles, under his watch and the weakening of the childhood vaccine schedule.—
Will Stone,
NPR,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The fact that weakening was observed at all four locations is significant, said Shane Elipot, a physical oceanographer at the University of Miami and a report author.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Proponents of the extensions say the country remains wracked by gang violence and crumbling medical infrastructure.—
Alana Wise,
NPR,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The money is expected to now be invested in the island’s crumbling power grid, which was razed by Hurricane Maria in 2017 but was already deteriorated given a lack of investment and maintenance.—
Dánica Coto,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
There are three Elvi (Tyler Hanes, Colton Sims and Charles Adler Bischoff at the Marriott, in decreasing order of age).—
Chris Jones,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Despite being a required vaccine in all states to attend public school, rates have been steadily decreasing over the last decade, CDC data shows.—
Arthur Jones II,
ABC News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
In the blasting afternoon sun, the stench of fermenting earth and decay steams off the marsh.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Power from radioactive decay NRD claims the battery can deliver power outputs ranging from 5 nanowatts to 500 nanowatts.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ebbing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ebbing. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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