Abate — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Abate (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually

   "interest in the author's home abated as her novels waned in popularity"

   similar: de-escalate, decline, decrease, die (away or down or out), diminish, drain (away), drop (off), dwindle, ease, ebb, fall, fall away, lessen, let up, lower, moderate, pall, phase down, ratchet (down), recede, relent, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, wane
   related: compress, condense, constrict, contract, evaporate, fade (away), fritter (away), give out, melt (away), peter (out), tail (off), vanish, slacken, slow (down), alleviate, relax, flag, sink, weaken, cave (in), collapse, deflate
   opposite: accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon, enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mount, mushroom, pick up, rise, snowball, soar, swell, wax
   near: appear, emerge, show up, blow up, distend, elongate, lengthen

2. to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent

   "a couple of aspirin should abate the pain"

   similar: de-escalate, decrease, dent, deplete, diminish, downscale, downsize, drop, dwindle, ease, knock down, lessen, lower, reduce
   related: compress, condense, constrict, contract, abbreviate, abridge, clip, crop, curtail, cut, cut back, cut down, dock, nick, pare, prune, retrench, shorten, slash, trim, truncate, whittle, deflate, shrink, minimize, moderate, modify, modulate, qualify
   opposite: aggrandize, amplify, augment, boost, enlarge, escalate, expand, increase, raise
   near: blow up, dilate, distend, inflate, swell, elongate, extend, lengthen, prolong, protract, add (to), complement, supplement, enhance, heighten, intensify, redouble

3. to put an end to by formal action

   "asked the appellate court to abate the lower court's ruling allowing the patient to be removed from life support"

   similar: abolish, abrogate, annul, avoid, cancel, disannul, dissolve, invalidate, negate, null, nullify, quash, repeal, rescind, roll back, strike down, vacate, void, do away with, set aside
   related: countermand, override, overrule, overturn, veto, abort, call, call off, drop, recall, retract, reverse, revoke, suspend, withdraw, ban, enjoin, forbid, outlaw, prohibit, disallow, dismiss, reject, annihilate, break down, eliminate, eradicate, erase, liquidate, remove, throw out, write off
   near: enact, lay down, legislate, establish, found, institute, formalize, legalize, legitimate, legitimize, validate, pass, ratify, allow, approve, authorize, clear, endorse, permit, sanction, warrant, command, decree, mandate, order, prescribe

4. to take away (an amount or number) from a total

   "I managed to get the used car dealer to abate $200 from the sticker price"

   similar: deduct, knock off, subtract, take off
   related: decrease, diminish, discount, downsize, dwindle, knock down, lessen, lower, reduce, abbreviate, abridge, clip, crop, curtail, cut, cut back, cut down, dock, pare, prune, retrench, shorten, slash, trim, truncate, whittle
   opposite: add, tack (on)
   near: adjoin, annex, append, complement, supplement, enhance, heighten, intensify, magnify, aggrandize, amplify, augment, beef (up), boost, compound, enlarge, escalate, expand, increase, multiply, raise

5. to take something away from

   "recurring problems could not abate her of her enthusiasm for the project"

   similar: bereave, deprive, divest, strip
   related: denude, cheat, clean (out), defraud, shortchange, bankrupt, disfurnish, impoverish