fade

[ feyd ]

verb (used without object)

, fad·ed, fad·ing.

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 or out ):

   His anger faded away.

5. Movies, Television.
   1. to appear gradually, especially by becoming lighter (usually followed by in ).
   2. to disappear gradually, especially by becoming darker (usually followed by out ).
6. Broadcasting, Recording.
   1. to increase gradually in volume of sound, as in recording or broadcasting music, dialogue, etc. (usually followed by in ).
   2. to decrease gradually in volume of sound (usually followed by out ).
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 by back ):

   The quarterback was tackled while fading back for a pass.

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

verb (used with object)

, fad·ed, fad·ing.

1. to cause to fade:

   Sunshine faded the drapes.

2. Movies, Television.
   1. to cause (a scene) to appear gradually (usually followed by in ).
   2. to cause (a scene) to disappear gradually (usually followed by out ).
3. Broadcasting, Recording. to cause (the volume of sound) to increase or decrease gradually (usually followed by in or out ).
4. (in dice throwing) to make a wager against (the caster).

noun

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 ( def ).

fade

/ 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

noun

1. the act or an instance of fading

Derived Forms

• ˈfader, noun
• ˈfadable, adjective
• ˈfadedness, noun

Other Words From

• fad·a·ble adjective
• pre·fade verb (used with object) prefaded prefading
• un·fad·a·ble adjective
• un·fad·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fade¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of fade¹

C14: from fade (adj) dull, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin fatidus (unattested), probably blend of Latin vapidus vapid + Latin fatuus fatuous

Synonym Study

See disappear.

Example Sentences

A crushing way to lose, but in comparison to all the fades into summers past, it was a compelling way to go out.

From Washington Post

If your brakes change feeling on long descents, with the lever pull increasing or decreasing, or if they experience a major fade in power, it’s time for a bleed.

From Outside Online

The novel, which is set in the United States at some undetermined point in the future, follows Klara throughout almost her entire life-cycle from the shop floor to life with her adopted family to her eventual “slow fade.”

From Time

Brown outmaneuvered Humphrey on a fade pattern to catch Tannehill’s lob into the end zone.

From Washington Post

Once the base coat is dry I will apply shadows, fades and highlights with an airbrush.

From Ozy

But for those on the Israeli right who are hoping that this deferred dream will just fade away, they can forget it.

From The Daily Beast

I was briefly scared into eating regularly, but all too soon, the fears fade and my old habits return.

From The Daily Beast

But the sunlight is threatening to fade and a three-and-a-half-hour river journey back to Kisangani looms.

From The Daily Beast

If a Queen did cheat, her crimes fade into insignificance compared to the extensive philandering engaged in by medieval monarchs.

From The Daily Beast

We can hope that it begins to fade, just as the air seems to finally be leaking out of Black Friday.

From The Daily Beast

In contrast to the Widal, it begins to fade about the end of the second week, and soon thereafter entirely disappears.

From Project Gutenberg

Her hope persisted until half-past nine: it then began to fade, and, at ten o'clock, was extinct.

From Project Gutenberg

Then I said to myself in answer to the poet, "Here's the cheek that doth not fade, too much gazed at."

From Project Gutenberg

His thoughts grew dreadfully confused, and his confidence in himself began to fade.

From Project Gutenberg

On this light being covered again the figure would apparently fade away.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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