To abate means to become less intense, severe, or widespread, or to make something decrease in that way. When a storm abates, the wind calms down and the rain lightens up. When someone's anger abates, they start to feel calmer and less upset.

The word often appears when something unpleasant or dangerous is finally subsiding. During a heat wave, people wait desperately for the scorching temperatures to abate. When a neighborhood experiences a spike in crime, residents hope police efforts will help abate the problem. After you twist your ankle, the sharp pain eventually abates as the injury begins to heal.

Abate can also describe actively reducing something harmful. Cities work to abate noise pollution near schools. Doctors prescribe medicine to abate symptoms of illness. Environmental groups push for laws to abate water contamination.

The word carries a sense of relief because it describes something difficult or unpleasant finally lessening. When your little brother's tantrum finally abates, the whole family can relax. When a wildfire threat abates due to rain and firefighters' efforts, evacuated families can return home. The word suggests that intensity is dropping from a peak: things are getting better, even if they're not perfect yet.