ebb suggests the receding of something (such as the tide) that commonly comes and goes.

EBB definition: the flowing back of the tide as the water returns to the sea (flood,flow ). See examples of ebb used in a sentence.

ebb verb [I] (FEELING) If a physical or emotional feeling ebbs, it becomes less strong or disappears:

Definition of ebb noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

a flowing backward or away; decline or decay: the ebb of a once great nation. a point of decline: His fortunes were at a low ebb. v.i. to flow back or away, as the water of a tide (opposed to flow). to …

[no object] 1 of a tide : to flow outward from the land waiting for the tide to ebb 2 : to get worse Their fortunes began to ebb. [= decline]

ebb (ɛb) n. 1. the flowing back of the tide as the water returns to the sea. 2. a flowing backward or away; decline or decay. 3. a point or state of decline: His fortunes were at a low ebb.

The ebb or the ebb tide is one of the regular periods, usually two per day, when the sea gradually falls to a lower level as the tide moves away from the land. ...the spring ebb tide. We decided to leave on the …

Dec 14, 2025 · A "lowest ebb" implies something singular and finite, but for many of us, born in the Depression and raised by parents distrustful of fortune, an "ebb" might easily have lasted for years.

When something ebbs, it is declining, falling, or flowing away. The best time to look for sea creatures in tidal pools is when the tide is on the ebb — meaning it has receded from the shore.