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:
Ultimately, the dizziness didn’t subside so she stopped the drug.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026
In his experience, fears subside after the plans are in place.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Ilya Espino de Marotta, who took over as head of the Panama Canal Authority on Monday, told AFP that further measures may be implemented if the drought does not subside.
From Barron's ● Sep. 7, 2026
The grief will, I'm sure, subside in time, but I will always deeply miss her.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
His father exhaled slowly, as though waiting for a wave of rage to subside.
From "The Serpent King" by Jeff Zentner
Eventually, the novelty of the road trip fades, and hope subsides.
From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026
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
The nausea subsides and I lie on the cold tile floor and breathe and count, like Dr. Crowchild taught me.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
In the most recent quarter, attendance was up 3% compared with the prior year, the largest boost to its traffic since 2023, when the parks’ initial post-Covid boom subsided.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 20, 2026
Fears about software disruptions have subsided, leaving shares of Microsoft, which is also making hay with its Azure cloud division, up 28% over the past three months.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
While rates for other pregnancy-related deaths also increased during the pandemic, those climbs have largely subsided.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2026
Inflammation subsided, and the spinal cords regenerated perfectly, even though the neutrophils themselves were no longer present.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 8, 2026
Startled, she looked at Jinjoo’s angry glare and subsided.
From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh
Many economists thought inflation sparked by the war in Iran was subsiding, but concerns are building once again in Europe and Asia, two continents heavily dependent on energy imports.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 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
Pakistan would likely gain a measure of relief from subsiding Sunni-Shiite tensions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 25, 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.
