subside
Americanverb (used without object)
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:
Those officials counseling patience say the pressures are a series of one-off shocks of the kind a central bank is supposed to look through, so long as households and businesses still expect inflation to subside.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
They might subside for a little bit, but another system — Tropical Storm Fausto — could generate “another set of elevated swell at our beaches later this week into the weekend.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 20, 2026
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
“Should the inflation rate subside, mortgage rates could also take a dip,” Yun said in a written statement.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 18, 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
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
One analyst said the “situation in Iran comes down to when the conflict subsides, Gulf State oil production returns to normal and the Strait of Hormuz reopens,”
From Barron's ● Mar. 17, 2026
Once the feeling of frustration which inevitably follows any defeat subsides, Draper will reflect positively on the strides he has made in Dubai - assuming he recovers without any major issues.
From BBC ● Feb. 25, 2026
He trails off at the smirk on my face and subsides into stunned silence.
From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black
U.S. stocks rose as fears about a return to full-blown war in Iran subsided, bringing down oil prices and quelling inflation expectations.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
When Archer fended the second new ball to slip off Smith, England quickly subsided.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
There was no immediate word on casualties as of Thursday morning, and by 9:30 am the fighting had subsided as the government and opposition entered negotiations, according to sources.
From Barron's ● Jun. 4, 2026
These claims have gradually subsided since hitting a postpandemic peak of nearly 2 million one year ago.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 4, 2026
Herbie subsided suddenly, and muttered in a low voice from which the metallic timbre departed almost entirely.
From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov
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
Pakistan would likely gain a measure of relief from subsiding Sunni-Shiite tensions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 25, 2026
In the capital Colombo meanwhile, floodwaters were slowly subsiding on Tuesday.
From Barron's ● Dec. 2, 2025
Instead of subsiding, Villa rose to rattle PSG in a manner that was well beyond Manchester City and Liverpool in previous Champions League rounds this season.
From BBC ● Apr. 15, 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.
