subside
Americanverb (used without object)
verb
-
to become less loud, excited, violent, etc; abate
-
to sink or fall to a lower level
-
(of the surface of the earth, etc) to cave in; collapse
-
(of sediment, etc) to sink or descend to the bottom; settle
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
subsidesimple
-
subsidessimple
-
have subsidedperfect
-
has subsidedperfect
-
am subsidingprogressive
-
are subsidingprogressive
-
is subsidingprogressive
-
have been subsidingperfect progressive
-
has been subsidingperfect progressive
Past
-
subsidedsimple
-
had subsidedperfect
-
was subsidingprogressive
-
were subsidingprogressive
-
had been subsidingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of subside
First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin subsīdere, from sub- sub- + sīdere “to sit down, settle” ( see also sit 1)
Explanation
To subside is to die down or become less violent, like rough ocean waves after a storm has passed (or your seasickness, if you happened to be sailing on that ocean). Subside comes from the Latin prefix sub- (meaning "down") and the Latin verb sidere (meaning "to settle"). Subside is often used when a negative situation has improved significantly. For example, violence, disease, and unemployment can all subside. Here's hoping that they do.
Vocabulary lists containing subside
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Giver
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
The high temperatures have begun to subside in Spain, however a forest fire broke out north-east of Barcelona forcing 16,000 to stay in their homes on Friday morning.
From BBC ● Jun. 26, 2026
No large fund is close to that tipping point yet, but analysts currently estimate the cash drain could take a year or more to subside.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 18, 2026
“Should the inflation rate subside, mortgage rates could also take a dip,” Yun said in a written statement.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 18, 2026
Soon enough, the fires subside and we cart my grandparents back across town to their apartment.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 8, 2026
Even with a special treat like that, my raging appetite didn't subside.
From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson
The other half decided to stick with the old regime for now, meaning they will see a 40% cut in funding this year as those subsides are phased out.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
Countries are likely to respond by prioritizing supply diversification, investing in exploration and domestic resource development, and replenishing strategic reserves once the conflict subsides, SLB said.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 24, 2026
Le Peuch expects many countries to prioritize supply diversification, invest in exploration and domestic resource development, and replenish reserves once the conflict subsides.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 24, 2026
Warsh has expressed support for cutting rates relatively quickly, arguing that policy remains overly restrictive as inflation gradually subsides.
From Barron's ● Mar. 10, 2026
His laughter subsides for a moment, and he says, “Okay. That’s fair. Good on you.”
From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy
Kim told BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast she was initially prescribed migraine medication but after a few days the pain had not subsided and she went to A&E.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
U.S. stocks rose as fears about a return to full-blown war in Iran subsided.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
Yet she and her husband would still celebrate the holiday with a traditional barbecue -- but later in the evening after the heat subsided.
From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026
The threat subsided on May 26 after officials confirmed that the tank had cracked and was no longer pressurized.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 6, 2026
With what Meg called ‘a great want of manners’ Jo had saved some bonbons for the little girls, and they soon subsided, after hearing the most thrilling events of the evening.
From "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott
When asked if some of the business impact of those cultural moments is subsiding, Fiddelke said Target’s current sales lift comes from all types of shoppers and regions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 20, 2026
A new study published in Nature finds that many of the world's largest river deltas are subsiding more quickly than global sea levels are rising, putting hundreds of millions of people at potential risk.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 20, 2026
Verdi sees inflation subsiding toward 2% as an initial jolt to food prices wears off.
From Barron's ● Jan. 8, 2026
"With policy risk not subsiding anytime soon," analysts at Charles Schwab wrote in a research note, "the bar for a pullback or mini correction in the beginning of 2026 is not terribly high."
From BBC ● Dec. 31, 2025
The relief must have been wonderful, for the punctures were now draining freely, and already the swelling was subsiding.
From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
