Meaning & use
it ebbs and flows
Last updated
Meaning
phraseidiomfigurative
used to say that something keeps increasing and decreasing in a regular or natural way over time.
Grammar: It is a fixed phrase; the subject 'it' can be replaced by the thing that changes, e.g. 'interest ebbs and flows'.
Patterns
- something ebbs and flows
- it ebbs and flows
Public interest in the scandal ebbs and flows, but it never disappears completely.
Her energy ebbs and flows with the seasons; she is busiest in spring.
The mood of the crowd ebbs and flows as the team scores and then concedes.
Common combinations
- interest ebbs and flows
- Interest in the topic ebbs and flows depending on the news.
- mood ebbs and flows
- His mood ebbs and flows, so it is hard to predict how he will react.
- support ebbs and flows
- Support for the policy ebbs and flows with the economy.
- ebbs and flows of something
- She learned to accept the ebbs and flows of creative work.
Synonyms and how they differ
- fluctuates
- More neutral and often used for numbers or levels; 'ebbs and flows' sounds more natural and slightly literary.
- rises and falls
- A plain alternative that describes the same pattern without the sea image.
- waxes and wanes
- Very similar, but often used for the moon, feelings, or influence rather than general activity.
Word family
Commonly confused: it ebbs and flows or ebb and flow?
it ebbs and flows vs ebb and flow
The noun phrase 'the ebb and flow of something' is more common than the full sentence pattern; use it when you want to name the pattern itself.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'it ebbs and flows' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The idiom describes something that changes repeatedly, as in 'her confidence ebbs and flows'. The first option adds an unnecessary 'it' and misuses the subject; the third and fourth treat the phrase as a transitive verb, which it is not.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “it ebbs and flows”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.