ebbed

Ebbed is the past tense and past participle of the verb ebb. In nautical usage, to ebb means the tide is receding, with water level falling as the outgoing tide moves away from shore. The term can also describe a general decline or diminution in non-maritime contexts, such as fortunes, activity, or interest.

As a verb, ebbed describes something that has diminished or retreated from a previous level. Examples include the tide ebbed after midnight, or public enthusiasm ebbed following the announcement. The related noun form, ebb, refers to the period during which the tide is going out, and the phrase ebb and flow describes the alternating cycles of decline and renewal.

Ebb can also be used figuratively to indicate a reduction in strength or intensity, such as an ebb in demand or an ebbing of tensions. In geography and ecology, the term may describe the retreat of water from land in coastal or estuarine settings, or the diminishing of other quantities over time, such as river levels or heat.

See also: ebb and flow, tide, recession, decline.