ABATE means to subside or lessen in intensity. For example, excitement at a game will ABATE if the home team plays poorly and falls behind.
SAT test writers have used ABATE as an answer in a passage about oil prices. The passage explained that alternate energy sources such as wind power and electric vehicles are causing the economic impact of rising oil prices to ABATE or subside. For example, the effect of rising oil prices had a minimal impact on the gross domestic product of India. Unfortunately, many students were tempted by OSCILLATE which means to swing back and forth and ACQUIESCE which means to accept something without protest.
ABATE - to subside; ease off; lessen in intensity