fade

American  

[feyd] / feɪd /

verb (used without object)

fades, present (3rd person singular) faded, past participle, past fading present participle

1. to lose brightness or vividness of color.

2. to become dim, as light, or lose brightness of illumination.

3. to lose freshness, vigor, strength, or health.

   The tulips have faded.

4. to disappear or die gradually (often followed by away orout ).

   His anger faded away.

5. Movies, Television.

   1. to appear gradually, especially by becoming lighter (usually followed byin ).

   2. to disappear gradually, especially by becoming darker (usually followed byout ).

6. Broadcasting, Recording.

   1. to increase gradually in volume of sound, as in recording or broadcasting music, dialogue, etc. (usually followed byin ).

   2. to decrease gradually in volume of sound (usually followed byout ).

7. Football. (of an offensive back, especially a quarterback) to move back toward one's own goal line, usually with the intent to pass, after receiving the snapback from center or a hand-off or lateral pass behind the line of scrimmage (usually followed byback ).

   The quarterback was tackled while fading back for a pass.

8. (of an automotive brake) to undergo brake fade.

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verb (used with object)

fades, present (3rd person singular) faded, past participle, past fading present participle

1. to cause to fade.

   Sunshine faded the drapes.

2. Movies, Television.

   1. to cause (a scene) to appear gradually (usually followed byin ).

   2. to cause (a scene) to disappear gradually (usually followed byout ).

3. Broadcasting, Recording. to cause (the volume of sound) to increase or decrease gradually (usually followed by in orout ).

4. (in dice throwing) to make a wager against (the caster).

noun

fades plural

1. an act or instance of fading.

2. Movies, Television Informal. a fade-out.

3. a style of short haircut in which the hair on the top of the head is all one length, while the hair on the sides and back of the head is closely cut or shaved to a gradually shorter length from top to bottom, giving the appearance of the hair shading from darker to lighter.

4. Automotive. brake fade.

fade British  

/ feɪd /

verb

1. to lose or cause to lose brightness, colour, or clarity

2. (intr) to lose freshness, vigour, or youth; wither

3. (intr; usually foll by away or out) to vanish slowly; die out

4. 1. to decrease the brightness or volume of (a television or radio programme or film sequence) or (of a television programme, etc) to decrease in this way

   2. to decrease the volume of (a sound) in a recording system or (of a sound) to be so reduced in volume

5. (intr) (of the brakes of a vehicle) to lose power

6. to cause (a golf ball) to move with a controlled left-to-right trajectory or (of a golf ball) to veer gradually from left to right

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noun

1. the act or an instance of fading

Synonym Usage

See disappear.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• fadedness
  noun
• fader
  noun
• prefade
  verb (used with object)
• fadable
  adjective
• unfadable
  adjective
• unfading
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• fades
  plural

Participles

• fading
  present
• faded
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• fade
  simple
• fades
  simple
• have faded
  perfect
• has faded
  perfect
• am fading
  progressive
• are fading
  progressive
• is fading
  progressive
• have been fading
  perfect progressive
• has been fading
  perfect progressive

Past

• faded
  simple
• had faded
  perfect
• was fading
  progressive
• were fading
  progressive
• had been fading
  perfect progressive

Future

• will fade
  simple
• will have faded
  perfect
• will be fading
  progressive
• will have been fading
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of fade

First recorded in 1275–1325; 1915–20 fade for def. 5; Middle English faden, derivative of fade “pale, dull,” from Anglo-French, Old French, from unattested Vulgar Latin fatidus, for Latin fatuus fatuous

Explanation

When things fade, they gradually become less clear or more faint. When you wake up after having a strange dream, its details quickly begin to fade unless you write them down right away. Dreams usually fade once you wake up, and sunlight begins to fade toward the end of the day. Sounds can fade too, as when the music you can hear from a passing car begins to fade as it moves down the road. Disappointments in life can make your hopes and dreams fade, and the smell of cut flowers will eventually fade as well. The Old French root word, fader, means "weaken, wilt, or wither."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

fade fades faded fading

If he can recapture that identity down the stretch and into the postseason, his slow start will fade in the memories of Dodgers fans.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026

In about 100 billion years, every galaxy beyond the Local Group of galaxies will fade from sight, forever.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026

They know their cognition will continue to fade, and they might live for years in an agitated, delusional state where they’ll need round-the-clock care from people they don’t recognize.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

Despite the gains, industry figures believe the boom could fade once supply routes stabilise.

From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026

For she still stood on the avenue, unwilling to fade into memory.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

But investors shouldn’t rely on them sticking if the boom fades.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026

The data indicate many IPOs lag the broader market for up to 2½ years, as early enthusiasm fades and insider selling increases supply.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 20, 2026

As the song closes, she makes one last confession: “Everything fades away, except for you.”

From Salon ● Jul. 8, 2026

It means early light will tell your tired brain it is time to switch on, and it also tells your body to feel sleepy when daylight fades.

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026

The sky fades from black to a pale greenish yellow to a dark red and then back to black.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

Seixas looked stronger than Del Toro at times on the climbs but faded substantially on Saturday.

From BBC ● Jul. 26, 2026

For all its immortal ideas and all those outsized news reports of people fainting, “The Exorcist” could’ve faded from memory if so much of what came after didn’t prove to be a cheap imitation.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

Witkoff has become so ubiquitous in international transactions that his role as the co-founder of Trump’s business has all but faded into the gilt wallpaper of the Oval Office.

From Slate ● Jul. 22, 2026

Potosí faded in the 18th century, after even richer deposits were discovered in Mexico.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

For several seconds after Gandy had faded from sight, we stood in silence, and stared at the spot where he had disappeared.

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls

Iron Man Cal, like the runner-up trained by Phil D’Amato, was third, with The Goat fourth and pacesetting Mirahmadi fading to last.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026

At Troon two years ago, Brown sensationally took the lead in fading light on day one and eventually finished in a tie for 10th place.

From BBC ● Jul. 16, 2026

But experts warn the sprawling salt flats of Montenegro's Ulcinj salina, a vital stop-off for migrating flamingos, pelicans and other species, is fading fast.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

But belief in the American dream is fading.

From Salon ● Jul. 12, 2026

They strode through densely packed cobbled streets, with sea-stained buildings rising alongside, glimmering in the fading light.

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

Related Words

• abate
• deteriorate
• dim
• diminish
• disappear
• dissolve
• ebb
• evaporate
• fail
• fall
• lessen
• melt
• peter out
• sink
• vanish
• wane
• weaken
• wilt
• wither