abate

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /əˈbeɪt/ UK /əˈbeɪt/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like abet /ɛ/ vs /eɪ/

verb

Meanings

1

verb
to become less intense or to lessen in degree

The storm finally began to abate toward morning.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to become less intense or... lessen diminish subside decrease wane ebb moderate dwindle

Opposites

intensify increase heighten escalate augment amplify

Word family

Derived forms abatementabaterabatable

Related forms rebatebate

Etymology

From Middle English abaten, from Old French abatre ('to beat down, fell'), from Vulgar Latin *abbattere, from Latin ad- ('to') + battuere ('to beat, strike').

abatre Old French battuere Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

# abate

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** əˈbeɪt
**IPA (UK):** əˈbeɪt

## Meanings
1. to become less intense or to lessen in degree

## Examples
- The storm finally began to abate toward morning.

## Synonyms
- lessen
- diminish
- subside
- decrease
- wane
- ebb
- moderate
- dwindle

## Antonyms
- intensify
- increase
- heighten
- escalate
- augment
- amplify

## Derived Forms
- abatement
- abater
- abatable

## Related Forms
- rebate
- bate

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: abatre
- Root: battuere

## Etymology
From Middle English abaten, from Old French abatre ('to beat down, fell'), from Vulgar Latin *abbattere, from Latin ad- ('to') + battuere ('to beat, strike').

## AI Etymology
Abate is from Middle English abaten, from Old French abatre ('to beat down, fell'), from Vulgar Latin *abbattere, from Latin ad- ('to') + battuere ('to beat, strike'). In present-day use, it means to become less intense or to lessen in degree. Derived formations include abatement, abater, and abatable. Related vocabulary includes rebate and bate.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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abate

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