ebbing

Ebbing is the present participle of the verb ebb, meaning to recede, fall away, or decrease. It is used to describe the outgoing phase of tides and, more broadly, any diminishing trend or movement, such as a reduction in intensity, activity, or support. The related noun form ebb refers to this retreat. The term originates in Old English and is cognate with similar Germanic roots found in related languages.

As a proper noun, Ebbing can function as a place name and as a surname. In German-speaking regions, it may appear in toponyms, and the name is found among families in areas where German is spoken or historically prevalent.

In popular culture, Ebbing is widely recognized as the fictional town Ebbing, Missouri, featured in the 2017 film Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The film centers on events in that setting and brought renewed attention to the name in the English-speaking world.

Ebbing also appears in geographic and historical contexts as part of place-name components describing locations near water or with tidal associations, though specific meanings can vary by locality. Overall, Ebbing functions across linguistic, geographic, and cultural domains as a versatile term tied to the concepts of retreat and decline, as well as to identity through place and lineage.