subside
Americanverb (used without object)
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subsides,
present (3rd person singular)
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subsided,
past participle, past
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subsiding
present participle
verb
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to become less loud, excited, violent, etc; abate
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to sink or fall to a lower level
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(of the surface of the earth, etc) to cave in; collapse
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(of sediment, etc) to sink or descend to the bottom; settle
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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subsidesimple
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subsidessimple
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have subsidedperfect
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has subsidedperfect
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am subsidingprogressive
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are subsidingprogressive
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is subsidingprogressive
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have been subsidingperfect progressive
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has been subsidingperfect progressive
Past
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subsidedsimple
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had subsidedperfect
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was subsidingprogressive
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were subsidingprogressive
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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
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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:
She said she feared that the protest would not subside unless the wage board announced a salary increase.
From Barron's ● Nov. 3, 2026
As the magma continues to escape, sections of the unsupported ground subside, opening new fractures and vents while feeding further eruptive columns and pyroclastic density currents.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 22, 2026
Fed officials had been hoping that inflation pressures would subside over time, potentially even paving the way for more rate cuts.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 13, 2026
In his experience, fears subside after the plans are in place.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
He bent over, clutching his stomach and panting, then knelt in the mud of the stream bank and watched the troubled water subside.
From "A Single Shard" by Linda Sue Park
But then "the joy fades, the adrenaline subsides, and you're faced with the reality of having to return to normal life again."
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
Eventually, the novelty of the road trip fades, and hope subsides.
From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026
The momentum in the second quarter might be hard to sustain unless the war ends, oil prices fall and inflation subsides.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026
Other companies looking to transport consumer-packaged goods with less immediate demand might wait to ship them until the price spike subsides, or send their goods via train, which can take longer but uses less diesel.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 22, 2026
“You’re funny,” he says after our laughter subsides.
From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon
Concerns about the sustainability of debt associated with the AI infrastructure buildout subsided somewhat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
During the first part of the study, the ground within Masaya's caldera gradually subsided, meaning it moved downward.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026
The pain caused by a stress fracture in her back eventually subsided, but the 24-year-old Briton still had a long road to full recovery, which needed to be navigated with patience and hard work.
From BBC ● Oct. 19, 2026
Ohtani said Tuesday that his symptoms have subsided since the Dodgers put him on the injured list, for the minimum stay.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
Fortunately, he was able to climb a rock after a while and rest there until his panting had subsided.
From "Abel's Island" by William Steig
"And when we look at all the different satellite images across multiple years, we can see how the distance between the satellite and the ground changes, where it is uplifting or subsiding."
From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026
Dudy said on Sunday that authorities across the airports have been conducting tests every 30 minutes "to anticipate whether the ash spread is widening or subsiding".
From BBC ● Sep. 7, 2026
"With Tropical Cyclone Dolphin moving towards the vicinity of Zhejiang and moving inland, its outer subsiding air will persistently bring extremely hot weather to the territory today to Tuesday," the forecaster said.
From Barron's ● Aug. 9, 2026
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
"I'm glad you and I are friends, Lev," I say, the tingling in my foot finally subsiding.
From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
