# abated

/əˈbeɪtɪd/ (US) · /ɐbˈeɪtɪd/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/abated
Updated: 2026-05-02

## Senses

### 1. became less strong

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to have become less strong, loud, or violent.

For teachers: to have decreased in force or intensity; used intransitively to describe the subsiding of natural or emotional forces.

- The storm finally abated after midnight, and the winds became quiet.
- The torrential rain only abated once the cold front had fully passed through the valley, allowing emergency crews to assess the flood damage.

### 2. humbled or weakened

adjective · CEFR C2 · Literary

feeling less proud or having less power than before.

For teachers: reduced in status, pride, or intensity; often used in literary contexts to describe a person's spirit.

- He stood with an abated spirit after losing the long argument.
- The once-mighty king appeared with abated pride before the council, his influence clearly withered by years of political exile.

Teaching tip: This adjectival use is rare in modern speech; learners will mostly encounter it in 19th-century literature or poetry.

### 3. cut away

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

describes a pattern where the background has been cut away to make the design stand out.

For teachers: referring to a surface where the background is lowered or carved out to leave a pattern in relief.

- The artist showed us the abated stone where the letters were carved.
- The craftsman used a fine chisel to create an abated background, ensuring the silver inscription remained bright against the textured metal.

## Examples

- The heavy rain finally abated after midnight.
- The storm's fury abated by morning, allowing the rescue teams to begin their work in the flooded valley.
- Once the initial fervor of the protest had abated, the organizers sat down to draft a formal list of demands for the city council.

## Usage notes

- Intransitive in its most common sense; does not take a direct object.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.