Abates — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

verb /ə-ˈbāt/

Meaning & Definition of Abates

Abates (verb)

  1. to decrease in force or intensity
  2. to become defeated or become null or void (as of a writ or appeal)
  3. to decrease in amount or value

Abates (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: declines, decreases, de-escalates, dies (away or down or out), diminishes, drains (away), drops (off), dwindles, eases, ebbs, falls, falls away, lessens, lets up, lowers, moderates, palls, phases down, ratchets (down), recedes, relents, remits, shrinks, subsides, tapers, tapers off, wanes
    related: compresses, condenses, constricts, contracts, evaporates, fades (away), fritters (away), gives out, melts (away), peters (out), tails (off), vanishes, slackens, slows (down), alleviates, relaxes, flags, sinks, weakens, caves (in), collapses, deflates
    opposite: accumulates, balloons, builds, burgeons, enlarges, escalates, expands, grows, increases, intensifies, mounts, mushrooms, picks up, rises, snowballs, soars, swells, waxes
    near: appears, emerges, shows up, blows up, distends, elongates, lengthens

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

    "a couple of aspirin should abate the pain"

    similar: decreases, de-escalates, dents, depletes, diminishes, downscales, downsizes, drops, dwindles, eases, knocks down, lessens, lowers, reduces
    related: compresses, condenses, constricts, contracts, abbreviates, abridges, clips, crops, curtails, cuts, cuts back, cuts down, docks, nicks, pares, prunes, retrenches, shortens, slashes, trims, truncates, whittles, deflates, shrinks, minimizes, moderates, modifies, modulates, qualifies
    opposite: aggrandizes, amplifies, augments, boosts, enlarges, escalates, expands, increases, raises
    near: blows up, dilates, distends, inflates, swells, elongates, extends, lengthens, prolongs, protracts, adds (to), complements, supplements, enhances, heightens, intensifies, redoubles

  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: abolishes, abrogates, annuls, avoids, cancels, disannuls, dissolves, invalidates, negates, nullifies, nulls, quashes, repeals, rescinds, rolls back, strikes down, vacates, voids, does away with, sets aside
    related: countermands, overrides, overrules, overturns, vetoes, aborts, calls, calls off, drops, recalls, retracts, reverses, revokes, suspends, withdraws, bans, enjoins, forbids, outlaws, prohibits, disallows, dismisses, rejects, annihilates, breaks down, eliminates, eradicates, erases, liquidates, removes, throws out, writes off
    near: enacts, lays down, legislates, establishes, founds, institutes, formalizes, legalizes, legitimates, legitimizes, validates, passes, ratifies, allows, approves, authorizes, clears, endorses, permits, sanctions, warrants, commands, decrees, mandates, orders, prescribes

  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: deducts, knocks off, subtracts, takes off
    related: decreases, diminishes, discounts, downsizes, dwindles, knocks down, lessens, lowers, reduces, abbreviates, abridges, clips, crops, curtails, cuts, cuts back, cuts down, docks, pares, prunes, retrenches, shortens, slashes, trims, truncates, whittles
    opposite: adds, tacks (on)
    near: adjoins, annexes, appends, complements, supplements, enhances, heightens, intensifies, magnifies, aggrandizes, amplifies, augments, beefs (up), boosts, compounds, enlarges, escalates, expands, increases, multiplies, raises

  5. to take something away from

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

    similar: bereaves, deprives, divests, strips
    related: denudes, cheats, cleans (out), defrauds, shortchanges, bankrupts, disfurnishes, impoverishes

Related Entry: Abate (verb)

Abate is a different word from Abates. The synonyms below are for abate, not for abates.

  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

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Abates

The most common words with a similar meaning to Abates:

declines, decreases, de-escalates, dies (away or down or out), diminishes, drains (away), drops (off), dwindles, eases, ebbs, falls, falls away, lessens, lets up, lowers, moderates, palls, phases down, ratchets (down), recedes, relents, remits, shrinks, subsides, tapers, tapers off, wanes, dents, depletes, downscales, downsizes, drops, knocks down, reduces, abolishes, abrogates, annuls, avoids, cancels, disannuls

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Abates

Words with the opposite meaning of Abates:

accumulates, balloons, builds, burgeons, enlarges, escalates, expands, grows, increases, intensifies, mounts, mushrooms, picks up, rises, snowballs, soars, swells, waxes, aggrandizes, amplifies, augments, boosts, raises, adds, tacks (on)

Related Words for Abates

compresses, condenses, constricts, contracts, evaporates, fades (away), fritters (away), gives out, melts (away), peters (out), tails (off), vanishes, slackens, slows (down), alleviates, relaxes, flags, sinks, weakens, caves (in), collapses, deflates, abbreviates, abridges, clips, crops, curtails, cuts, cuts back, cuts down

Near Antonyms of Abates

appears, emerges, shows up, blows up, distends, elongates, lengthens, dilates, inflates, extends, prolongs, protracts, adds (to), complements, supplements, enhances, heightens, redoubles, enacts, lays down, legislates, establishes, founds, institutes, formalizes, legalizes, legitimates, legitimizes, validates, passes

Word Forms of Abates

Inflections: abated, abating

Derived words: abater (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Abates

Middle English abaten, borrowed from Anglo-French abatre "to strike down, fell, reduce, put an end to," from a-, prefix in transitive verbs (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + batre "to beat," going back to Latin battuere, of uncertain origin

First known use: 14th centuryt

Frequently Asked Questions about Abates

What does "Abates" mean?

"Abates" means to decrease in force or intensity. As a verb, it is defined as: to decrease in force or intensity. It has 5 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Abates"?

Other words for "Abates" include declines, decreases, de-escalates, dies (away or down or out), diminishes, drains (away), drops (off) and dwindles. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Abates" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Abates"?

There are 146 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Abates". Common alternatives include declines, decreases, de-escalates, dies (away or down or out), diminishes, drains (away), drops (off), dwindles, eases and ebbs.

What is the opposite of "Abates"?

Antonyms of "Abates" include accumulates, balloons, builds, burgeons, enlarges, escalates, expands and grows. Near antonyms include appears, emerges, shows up and blows up.

How do you use "Abates" in a sentence?

Examples of "Abates" in a sentence: "interest in the author's home abated as her novels waned in popularity"; "a couple of aspirin should abate the pain"; "asked the appellate court to abate the lower court's ruling allowing the patient to be removed from life support".

Is "Abates" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Abates" is a verb.

How do you pronounce "Abates"?

"Abates" is pronounced /ə-ˈbāt/.

What is the origin of the word "Abates"?

"Abates" comes from Middle English abaten, borrowed from Anglo-French abatre "to strike down, fell, reduce, put an end to," from a-, prefix in transitive verbs (going back to Latin ad- ad-) + batre "to beat," going back to Latin battuere, of uncertain origin. First known use: 14th centuryt.