abate

UK: /əˈbeɪt/ US: /əˈbeɪt/ ,(ə bāt′)

Inflections of 'abate' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

abates

v 3rd person singular

abating

v pres p

abated

v past

abated

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

a•bate /əˈbeɪt/   v., a•bat•ed, a•bat•ing.  

1. [~ + object] to reduce in amount, degree, intensity, etc.;
   lessen;
   diminish:
   to abate a tax.
2. to diminish in amount, degree, or intensity:
   [no object] The hurricane has abated. Her fears have abated somewhat.

a•bate•ment, n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

a•bate  (ə bāt′), v., a•bat•ed, a•bat•ing. 
v.t. 

1. to reduce in amount, degree, intensity, etc.;
   lessen;
   diminish:
   to abate a tax; to abate one's enthusiasm.
2. Law
   • to put an end to or suppress (a nuisance).
   • to suspend or extinguish (an action).
   • to annul (a writ).
3. to deduct or subtract:
   to abate part of the cost.
4. to omit:
   to abate all mention of names.
5. Fine Art to remove, as in stone carving, or hammer down, as in metalwork, (a portion of a surface) in order to produce a figure or pattern in low relief.

v.i. 

6. to diminish in intensity, violence, amount, etc.:
   The storm has abated. The pain in his shoulder finally abated.
7. Law to end;
   become null and void.

• Late Latin batere for Latin battuere to beat; a- perh. also understood as a-³
• Middle French abatre to beat down, equivalent. to a- a-⁵ + batre
• Middle English 1300–50

a•bat′a•ble, adj. 
a•bat′er*  [Law.] a•ba′tor, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. decrease, weaken.
• 6. subside.

Antonyms

• 1, 6. increase, intensify.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

abate / əˈbeɪt/ verb

1. to make or become less in amount, intensity, degree, etc
2. (transitive) to remove, suppress, or terminate (a nuisance)
3. to suspend or extinguish (a claim or action)
4. to annul (a writ)
5. (intransitive) (of a writ, legal action, etc) to become null and void

Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French abatre to beat down, fell