C2verbnature
US/eb/
UK/eb/
(of the sea) to move back away from the land; to slowly become weaker or smaller
In context
When the tide ebbs, you can walk out to the small island.
His strength slowly ebbed away during the long illness.
Public interest in the story ebbed after a few weeks.
Words that go with ebb
verb + adverb
- ebb awayHer anger ebbed away as she listened to his story.
- ebb backAs the storm passed, the sea ebbed back from the flooded road.
- ebb outThe tide ebbs out so far here that fishing boats sit on the sand.
adverb + verb
- slowly ebbThe flood water slowly ebbed, leaving thick mud in every house.
verb + preposition
- ebb fromThe color ebbed from his face when he heard the news.