subside
/səbˈsaɪd/ IELTSAcademic
verb
If something subsides, it becomes less strong, less active, or less severe. It is often used for pain, anger, noise, or bad weather.
- The pain subsided after a few minutes.
- The rain finally began to subside.
- His anger slowly subsided.
Adinary Nuance
Subside is often used for things that lessen by themselves, like pain, anger, rain, or noise. It feels more formal than calm down, which is more common in speech. It is also different from decrease, because subside suggests a natural fading, not just a smaller amount.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- lắng xuống
- Spanish
- disminuir
- Chinese
- 减弱
- Japanese
- おさまる
- Korean
- 가라앉다
Etymology
Subside comes from Latin subsidere, meaning “to sink down” or “settle.” It entered English in the 16th century with the idea of something lowering or calming down.
Common phrases
subside quicklysubside over timepain subsidesthe storm subsides
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is subside formal or informal?
- It is a little formal and common in writing, news, and academic English.
- What is the difference between subside and calm down?
- Calm down is usually used for people. Subside is often used for feelings, pain, noise, or weather.
- Can I say the storm subsided?
- Yes. It is a natural and common use.
- Is subside used in IELTS Writing?
- Yes. It is useful for describing changes in pain, tension, or weather.