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

Their power doesn’t wax and wane depending on their clothing.

From Salon • Nov. 9, 2024

Harris, a former San Francisco district attorney, state attorney general and U.S. senator, has seen her popularity wax and wane.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 14, 2024

The researchers conclude that once mast cells are sensitized, diverse xenobiotics that never bothered the person previously and do not bother most people trigger multisystem symptoms that wax and wane over time.

From Science Daily • Mar. 28, 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