ENGLISH
REFERENCE

abates

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //əˈbeɪts// UK //ɐbˈeɪts// abates

v. to become less strong or stop happening. You use this when a bad situation, like a storm or a feeling, starts to go away.

v. to become less intense or severe; to diminish in strength or frequency. Often describes the reduction of a physical force or an emotional state.


SIMPLE

The loud noise from the construction abates after the workers finish their lunch.

CONTEXTUAL

As the sun began to set, the heat of the afternoon gradually abated, making the evening more comfortable.

COMPLEX

The storm's fury abated by dawn, leaving behind a landscape of soaked earth and broken branches that had been battered by the previous night's winds.

Synonyms

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