abate C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities US /əˈbeɪt/ UK /əˈbeɪt/ See IPA manual Minimal pairs Sounds like abet /ɛ/ vs /eɪ/ 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... lessendiminishsubsidedecreasewaneebbmoderatedwindle ↔ Opposites intensifyincreaseheightenescalateaugmentamplify Word family Derived forms abatementabaterabatable Related forms rebatebate Etymology AI details 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 External links Cambridge Dictionary Wiktionary Google Images # 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 markdown