MEANING
To lessen in force, amount, or severity.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- abate a storm
- pain abates
On the page
The storm abated just enough for them to hear the bell.
Her anger did not abate when the explanation arrived.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Related words
Word forms
- Base
- abate
- Past tense
- abated
- Past participle
- abated
- Present participle
- abating
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- abate
- Present continuous
- am/is/are abating
- Present perfect
- have/has abated
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been abating
- Past
- abated
- Past continuous
- was/were abating
- Past perfect
- had abated
- Past perfect continuous
- had been abating
- Future
- will abate
- Future continuous
- will be abating
- Future perfect
- will have abated
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been abating
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary. Forms: abate; abates; abated; abated; abating Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Third-person singular: abates.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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