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wane

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word wane distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of wane are abate, ebb, and subside. While all these words mean "to die down in force or intensity," wane suggests the fading or weakening of something good or impressive.

waning enthusiasm

When could abate be used to replace wane?

The words abate and wane can be used in similar contexts, but abate stresses the idea of progressive diminishing.

the storm abated

When is it sensible to use ebb instead of wane?

While in some cases nearly identical to wane, ebb suggests the receding of something (such as the tide) that commonly comes and goes.

the ebbing of daylight

Where would subside be a reasonable alternative to wane?

The meanings of subside and wane largely overlap; however, subside implies the ceasing of turbulence or agitation.

the protests subsided after a few days

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of wane
Verb
But Kennedy suggested the vaccine effectiveness wanes at a rate of nearly 5% a year – an assertion not backed by scientists. Ken Alltucker, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2025 On the surface, that would seem to tell the story of stable demand despite multiple sentiment surveys showing consumer optimism waning amid tariff uncertainty and worries about economic growth. Jeff Cox, CNBC, 15 Apr. 2025
Noun
Savvier investors are tuning out the noise, recognizing that while political narratives wax and wane, infrastructure and irreversible trends endure. Tobias Van Gils, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025 Any baseball fan should want to see Trout, 33, healthy again for an entire season before his prime wanes. Chris Branch, The Athletic, 18 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for wane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wane
Verb
  • But much of that has subsided now; the Steelers, after all, don’t have a second-round pick and trading up could be out of the question as a result.
    Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2025
  • While immediate inflation concerns have subsided, the current administration's aggressive tariff and immigration policies are creating new economic anxieties that could lead to future instability.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 23 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Real Madrid will go into their Champions League quarter-final first leg away to Arsenal at their lowest ebb this season.
    Mario Cortegana, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
  • The number of players in the organization who could thrive during their inexpensive entry-level deals is at a low ebb.
    Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Whereas a decline in home values diminishes the equity investors might hold in their properties, which limits their ability to leverage assets for additional investments or refinancing opportunities.
    William Jones, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Meanwhile, a more constrained and domestically focused healthcare agenda is likely to diminish trust in federal health agencies, limit access to culturally competent care and produce a loss of global leadership in health innovation.
    Robert Pearl, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This is a result of a profit-first capitalist system in crisis in the epoch of imperialism’s decline.
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Most of the decline in yields was from a decrease in the real, after-inflation yield demanded by investors, which reversed some of the increase from the previous week.
    Bill Stone, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The number of Jesuits globally has steadily decreased since the 1960s, when there were more than 36,000.
    Marc Ramirez, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
  • There has been a decreasing number of swing districts, only a few dozen now.
    Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 25 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Wade has been in a horrible slump since the season started and going in to Saturday night’s game against the Los Angeles Angels is hitting .096 (5-for-52) with a homer, seven RBIs, eight walks and an on base percentage of .213.
    Jerry McDonald, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Everyone else is trudging along, if not toiling through a flat-out slump.
    Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 14 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Rising bond yields Yields on 10-year Treasury bonds typically fall – and their prices rise - as investors flee stocks for the safe haven of Treasuries during economic slowdowns.
    Paul Davidson, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2025
  • For hitters as young as the Orioles’, falling behind early night after night might be even more demoralizing.
    Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • For example, all 12 patients in a 2022 clinical trial testing one type of immunotherapy had their rectal cancer completely disappear, without remission or adverse effects.
    Deborah Fuller, The Conversation, 28 Mar. 2025
  • By contrast, most nonreligious people accept the possibility of spontaneous remissions, inexplicable recoveries, and the rest of the medical mysteries that the Church calls healing miracles.
    Emily Harnett, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Wane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wane. Accessed 1 May. 2025.

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