ebb and flow
Rise and fall
Ebb and flow describes the natural rhythm of tidal waters—the ebb retreating seaward, the flow returning landward.
The phrase almost always appears figuratively, describing any cyclical rise and fall: the ebb and flow of fashion, the ebb and flow of political fortunes.
It suggests natural alternation rather than permanent change.
Ocean's cyclical swell
- currentDirected flow of charge
- surgeSudden powerful increase
- neapTide of least range
- springRecoiling metal spiral
flood · slack · estuary · coastal · moon · lunar · gravitational · pull
Patterned stress and silence
- cycleRepeating sequence of events
- oscillationRepeated back-and-forth movement
- recurrenceReturn of something previous
- alternationSequential interchange of elements
periodicity · undulation · waxing · waning · fluctuation · pulsation · succession · rotation
Change from one state
- shiftMovement or work period
- fluxContinuous change or flow
- variationChange from a norm
- volatilityRapid, unpredictable changeability
inconstancy · mutability · vicissitude · impermanence · dynamism · instability · uncertainty · unpredictability
Move to higher position
- swellIncrease in size
- floodOverwhelming water overflow
- crescendoGradual increase in loudness
- increaseGrowth in amount
advance · intensify · build · grow · peak · crest · mounting · upsurge
Move back from
- diminishTo make smaller
- waneDecrease gradually
- subsideDecrease in intensity
- retreatSanctuary or withdrawal
dwindle · fade · weaken · abate · drain · withdraw · slacken · contract
State of balance
- give-and-takeMutual concession between parties
- reciprocityMutual exchange of actions
- counterbalanceOffsetting force or weight
- push-pullBidirectional force dynamic
interplay · seesaw · symmetry · harmony · homeostasis · compensation · offset · trade-off
tide
Ocean's cyclical swell
spring · flood · slack · estuary · coastal · moon · lunar · gravitational · pull · waves
rhythm
Patterned stress and silence
- cycleRepeating sequence of events
- oscillationRepeated back-and-forth movement
- recurrenceReturn of something previous
alternation · periodicity · undulation · waxing · waning · fluctuation · pulsation · succession · rotation · repetition
transition
Change from one state
volatility · inconstancy · mutability · vicissitude · impermanence · dynamism · instability · uncertainty · unpredictability · transience
rise
Move to higher position
increase · advance · intensify · build · grow · peak · crest · mounting · upsurge · expansion
recede
Move back from
retreat · dwindle · fade · weaken · abate · drain · withdraw · slacken · contract · lessen
equilibrium
State of balance
- give-and-takeMutual concession between parties
- reciprocityMutual exchange of actions
- counterbalanceOffsetting force or weight
push-pull · interplay · seesaw · symmetry · harmony · homeostasis · compensation · offset · trade-off · yin-yang
- cycleslife cycle, cycle, circle of life, cycles, period
- aquaculturefish farming, fish farms, aquaculture, salmon farming, shrimp farming
- indoor growinggrow lights, hydroponics, aquaponics, vertical farming, NFT
- tideshigh tide, low tide, tides, flood tide, neap tide
- oscillationoscillation, back and forth, back-and-forth, to and fro, fluctuation
- gardeninggardener, gardening, flowers, seeds, soil