MEANING
To move away or lessen gradually, as a tide or influence does.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- ebb away
- ebb and flow
On the page
Her anger ebbed during the long walk home.
Nearby words
Opposite meanings
Word forms
- Base
- ebb
- Past tense
- ebbed
- Past participle
- ebbed
- Present participle
- ebbing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- ebb
- Present continuous
- am/is/are ebbing
- Present perfect
- have/has ebbed
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been ebbing
- Past
- ebbed
- Past continuous
- was/were ebbing
- Past perfect
- had ebbed
- Past perfect continuous
- had been ebbing
- Future
- will ebb
- Future continuous
- will be ebbing
- Future perfect
- will have ebbed
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been ebbing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: ebb; ebbs; ebbed; ebbed; ebbing Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: description, character, dialogue. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: ebbs.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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