Word
ebb
US/ˈɛb/
UK/ˈɛb/
Definitions
01tide flowing back
C1 · Advanced Literary
v. to flow back towards the sea, away from the land.
v. to recede or flow back from the shore, specifically in reference to the tide.
“We watched the water ebb away from the rocks as the tide went out.”
“As the tide began to ebb, vast stretches of shimmering mudflats were revealed, attracting flocks of wading birds to the estuary.”
02to weaken or decline
C1 · Advanced Literary
v. to slowly become less or weaker.
v. to decline or diminish gradually in intensity, power, or quality.
“His confidence started to ebb after he failed the first part of the test.”
“Support for the new policy began to ebb as the public realised the long-term economic consequences of the proposed changes.”
03a low point
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Literary · Formal
n. a state of being very low or weak.
n. a point or condition of decline or depression.
“The company's fortunes were at a low ebb before the new CEO arrived.”
“During the winter months, his creative energy reached such a low ebb that he considered abandoning the project entirely.”
Usage
Commonly appears in the fixed phrase 'ebb and flow' to describe rhythmic change.
Real-World Examples
“There are more than 200 reporters covering the case, and a group of women supporters - ebbing and flowing in size - have been coming to the courthouse over the past few weeks.” “The success of Brewis's app, and the creation of others like it, suggests the dramatic recent ebb and flow of Westminster may have inspired a popular new sub-genre.” Etymology
From Middle English ebbe, from Old English ebba (“ebb, tide”), from Proto-West Germanic abbjā, from Proto-Germanic abjô, abjǭ, from Proto-Germanic ab (“off, away”), from Proto-Indo-European *apó. See also West Frisian ebbe, Dutch eb, German Ebbe, Danish ebbe, Old Norse efja (“countercurrent”), Old English af. More at of, off.
From Middle English ebben, from Old English ebbian, from Proto-West Germanic *abbjōn (“to ebb”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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