wax and wane

Idioms

Increase and decrease, as in size, number, strength, or intensity, as in Enrollments in these programs wax and wane from year to year. This expression alludes to the phases of the moon, with its periodic changes in size. It was first recorded in the 1300s.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But in the political world, it does wax and wane.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2026

Winds could wax and wane throughout the alert period, forecasters caution.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 14, 2025

But once relationships are formed, some will naturally wax and wane, with many of us losing touch with friends and family that we were once close with.

From Science Daily • Apr. 23, 2024

She said hospice has seen an uptick in patients with dementia, conditions in which “a patient can wax and wane for months or even years.”

From Seattle Times • Feb. 17, 2024

They understood that she could wax and wane for a long time.

From "Typical American" by Gish Jen

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023