" abate "

1: to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually;

  * e.g., " ... interest in the author's home abated as her novels waned in popularity "

•  Synonyms : 

•  de-escalate,

•  decline,

•  decrease,

•  die (away or down or out),

•  diminish,

•  drain (away),

•  drop (off),

•  dwindle,

•  ease,

•  ebb,

•  fall,

•  fall away,

•  lessen,

•  let up,

•  lower,

•  moderate,

•  pall,

•  phase down,

•  ratchet (down),

•  recede,

•  relent,

•  remit,

•  shrink,

•  subside,

•  taper,

•  taper off,

•  wane

•  Antonyms : 

•  accumulate,

•  balloon,

•  build,

•  burgeon,

•  enlarge,

•  escalate,

•  expand,

•  grow,

•  increase,

•  intensify,

•  mount,

•  mushroom,

•  pick up,

•  rise,

•  snowball,

•  soar,

•  swell,

•  wax

2: to make smaller in amount, volume, or extent;

  * e.g., " ... a couple of aspirin should abate the pain "

•  Synonyms : 

•  de-escalate,

•  decrease,

•  dent,

•  deplete,

•  diminish,

•  downscale,

•  downsize,

•  drop,

•  dwindle,

•  ease,

•  knock down,

•  lessen,

•  lower,

•  reduce

•  Antonyms : 

•  aggrandize,

•  amplify,

•  augment,

•  boost,

•  enlarge,

•  escalate,

•  expand,

•  increase,

•  raise

3: to put an end to by formal action;

  * e.g., " ... asked the appellate court to abate the lower court's ruling allowing the patient to be removed from life support "

•  Synonyms : 

•  abolish,

•  abrogate,

•  annul,

•  avoid,

•  cancel,

•  disannul,

•  dissolve,

•  invalidate,

•  negate,

•  null,

•  nullify,

•  quash,

•  repeal,

•  rescind,

•  roll back,

•  strike down,

•  vacate,

•  void

•  Antonyms : 

•  add,

•  tack (on)