Abate
/əˈbeɪt/
verbB2
Definition
Abate means to make something less in amount, degree, or intensity. It is often used when talking about things like storms, pain, noise, or problems that become weaker or smaller over time.
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See It in Action
To become less strong or intense (for things like pain, weather, noise)
- •The storm began to abate after several hours.
- •His anger abated when he heard the good news.
- •The noise from the construction site finally abated in the evening.
To reduce or make something less (usually problems or bad situations)
- •Efforts to abate pollution have improved air quality.
- •The city passed laws to abate noise in residential areas.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "abate" like "lessen" or "reduce," but it often talks about things that were strong or big and now become smaller or weaker.
- ✓Picture a big storm slowly becoming calm and quiet—that is the storm abating.
- ✓It's the feeling when your headache slowly goes away after taking medicine.
- ✓Sounds like "a-BATE" → imagine a boat (sounds like "bate") slowing down and the waves getting smaller around it.
- ✓Think of a time when loud music stops slowly, becoming softer and then silent.
- ✓NOT like "stop" (which means to end completely), abate means to become less but not always end.
- ✓NOT like "increase" (which means to get bigger), abate means to go down or reduce.
- ✓NOT like "ignore" (which means to pay no attention), abate means the problem or feeling itself becomes smaller.
Try Other Words
- •Reduce: to make something smaller or less (Use when talking about general decrease)
- •Decrease: to become smaller in number or amount (Use for numbers, amounts, or intensity)
- •Subside: to become less strong or intense, especially for natural events like storms or feelings (Use when something calm or quiet follows)
- •Diminish: to become smaller or less important (Use when talking about importance or size)
Unboxing
- •Prefix/root/suffix: No clear prefix; "abate" comes as a whole verb.
- •Etymology: From Old French "abatre" meaning "to strike down, beat down."
- •Historical development: Originally meant to knock down or bring down, now means to reduce or lessen.
- •Modern usage: Used mostly in formal or written English to describe things becoming less strong or problems being reduced.
- •Interesting fact: Often used in legal, environmental, or weather contexts.
Reflect & Connect
•Can you think of a time when a problem or feeling you had started to abate? What helped it get better?
•How might using the word "abate" change the way you describe a difficult situation compared to simpler words like "lessen"?
Fill in the blanks
1.The heavy rain began to abate after ___ hours, allowing people to go outside safely.
2.His fear started to abate once he ___ that everything was okay.
3.Unlike stopping completely, abate means to ___ in strength or amount.
4.The city introduced new rules to abate ___ caused by traffic and factories.
5.Noise often abates ___ in the evening when most people are home.
6.When the pain abated, she was able to ___ more easily.
7.The storm did not abate quickly, so many people ___ to stay indoors longer.