wane

/weɪn/ (bre, ipa) · /weɪn/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈwān/ (ame, mw)

wane — verb

  • wanepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • waneshe / she / it
  • wanedpast simple
  • waning-ing form

1. To gradually become less strong, less important, or less effective — for example

1.動詞不及物B2
釋義

To gradually become less strong, less important, or less effective — for example, when public interest in a trend slowly goes down over several months.

例句

After the scandal, the board chair's influence within the company began to wane noticeably.

collocation: influence/power/support + wane

As summer turned to autumn, the children's enthusiasm for outdoor games started to wane.

collocation: enthusiasm/interest + wane

同義詞
  • diminish

    suggests a more measurable reduction, often in size or amount

  • decline

    broader term covering deterioration in quality or condition

  • dwindle

    emphasizes a reduction nearly to nothing, with a sense of urgency

  • fade

    suggests gradual disappearance, especially of light, memory, or sound

反義詞
  • grow

    general increase in strength or size

  • intensify

    become stronger or more extreme in degree

文法句型

wane

wane + adverb

wane + prepositional phrase

用法筆記

Commonly used with nouns that describe non-physical qualities: influence, interest, enthusiasm, support, popularity, or power. Subject is almost always an abstract noun.

常見錯誤

❌My phone battery is waning.
✅My phone battery is running low.
💡wane describes a gradual loss of strength or influence, not a physical quantity like battery charge.
❌The storm waned during the night.
✅The storm subsided during the night.
💡wane is not used for weather events calming down; subside or die down is more natural.

2. Describes the moon when its visible lit area shrinks night by night once the ful

2.動詞不及物B1
釋義

Describes the moon when its visible lit area shrinks night by night once the full moon has passed.

例句

Kabir checked the sky each evening, watching the full moon wane into a thin sliver.

astronomical context: full moon wanes to new moon

During the waning phase, the moon rises later each night and appears less bright.

grammatical pattern: during the waning phase

同義詞
  • diminish

    general term for getting smaller; less specific than wane for the moon

  • fade

    poetic synonym for the moon's light decreasing gradually

反義詞
  • wax

    specifically for the moon increasing in visible size night by night

文法句型

the moon wanes

waning moon

wane toward + noun phrase

用法筆記

Only used for the moon (or occasionally other celestial bodies in literary or scientific contexts). Not used for the sun, stars, or weather.

常見錯誤

❌The sun waned behind the mountain.
✅The sun sank behind the mountain.
💡wane describes the moon's changing phase, not the sun setting.
❌The candle flame waned.
✅The candle flame died down.
💡wane for the moon only; flames die down or flicker out.

wane — noun