Ebbing

Ebbing describes the gradual decline or weakening of something, often a feeling, quantity, or force. It signifies a process of decreasing, subsiding, or receding over time. The term implies a movement away from a peak or a state of fullness towards emptiness or a lower level. It can be used to illustrate the gradual decrease of physical entities like a river or tide, or abstract concepts such as emotion, strength, or influence. The word evokes a sense of gradual diminishing, implying a progression from a greater state to a lesser one, characterized by slow, often almost imperceptible shifts. This makes it an evocative term, often used in literature to describe the slow passing of time, or loss of something. The word itself subtly implies a sense of quiet passing or disappearance, unlike 'vanish' which implies sudden loss.

Ebbing meaning with examples

• As the storm passed, the wind's fury began ebbing, allowing the sun to gradually break through the clouds. The waves, once crashing violently against the shore, started to recede. The beach, once inundated, slowly appeared as the tide's power weakened and the sea found its natural balance, a peaceful stillness where the tempest once reigned.
• The excitement for the event, initially palpable, began ebbing as the organizers continued to delay the start time. The energy, which had been bustling through the crowds before, now diminished like a drawn bow. The initial enthusiasm started to give way to impatience as the initial euphoria dissipated, and many attendees started losing the will to continue.
• Her strength, after enduring several days of battling illness, had been steadily ebbing with each passing hour. The fever made her exhausted and she lost interest in eating as she continued to decline. Her body, which was her armor, continued to wane until she could no longer do any other action besides sleep.
• The empire's control over the distant territories was ebbing as rebellions and dissent began. Resources dwindled as they were stretched thin by the constant need to quash these uprisings. With internal corruption, the government’s grip over its territories loosened and caused the end of its time in power.