fade

[ feyd ]

/ feɪd /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR fade ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), fad·ed, fad·ing.

to lose brightness or vividness of color.

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

to lose freshness, vigor, strength, or health: The tulips have faded.

to disappear or die gradually (often followed by away or out): His anger faded away.

Movies, Television.

to appear gradually, especially by becoming lighter (usually followed by in).
to disappear gradually, especially by becoming darker (usually followed by out).

Broadcasting, Recording.

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

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.

(of an automotive brake) to undergo brake fade.

verb (used with object), fad·ed, fad·ing.

to cause to fade: Sunshine faded the drapes.

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

Movies, Television.

to cause (a scene) to appear gradually (usually followed by in).
to cause (a scene) to disappear gradually (usually followed by out).

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

noun

an act or instance of fading.

Movies, Television Informal. a fade-out.

Automotive. brake fade.

Nearby words

Origin of fade

1275–1325; 1915–20 for def 5; Middle English faden, derivative of fade pale, dull < Anglo-French, Old French < Vulgar Latin *fatidus, for Latin fatuus fatuous

Related forms

fad·a·ble, adjectivefad·ed·ly, adverbfad·ed·ness, nounpre·fade, verb (used with object), pre·fad·ed, pre·fad·ing.

un·fad·a·ble, adjectiveun·fad·ed, adjectiveun·fad·ing, adjectivewell-fad·ed, adjective

Synonym study

4. See disappear.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for fade

But for those on the Israeli right who are hoping that this deferred dream will just fade away, they can forget it.
In the Middle East, the Two-State Solution Is Dead|Dean Obeidallah|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
But the sunlight is threatening to fade and a three-and-a-half-hour river journey back to Kisangani looms.
The Congo's Forgotten Colonial Getaway|Nina Strochlic|December 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
They started with Not Fade Away and went from one song to another over a 14 minute stretch.
Greil Marcus Talks About Trying to Unlock Rock and Roll in 10 Songs|Allen Barra|November 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Ebola will fade enough for the Democrats to make this pitch by next week.
The Only Way for Democrats to Win|Jonathan Alter|October 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Instead, they will be at best a stale and bitter punchline of our times and then fade, unloved, into obscurity.
A Brief History of Wingnuts in America; From George Washington to Woodstock|John Avlon|August 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
There was no color to fade from her face, but the light died from her eyes, and the word faltered on her lips.
Brought Home|Hesba Stretton
The sound of its voice seemed to fade away with the dying wind, and the Haunted Man was alone.
The Luck of Roaring Camp and Other Tales|Bret Harte
These are splendidly grouped and combined; gradually they fade into mysterious horizons.
Your National Parks|Enos A. Mills
Taste is the first to fade, and then the smell; hearing follows, and touch yields last of all, and is most readily re-excited.
Sleep and Its Derangements|William A. Hammond
It would be pleasant if in purchasing silk or cloth one had not to pause and consider "will it fade?"
Arts and Crafts Essays|Various

British Dictionary definitions for fade

fade

/ (feɪd) /

verb

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

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

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

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

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

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

the act or an instance of fading

Derived Formsfadable, adjectivefadedness, nounfader, noun

Word Origin for fade

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for fade

fade

early 14c., "lose brightness, grow pale," from Old French fader "become weak, wilt, wither," from adj. fade "pale, weak, insipid" (12c.), probably from Vulgar Latin *fatidus, some sort of blending of Latin fatuus "silly, tasteless" + vapidus "flat, flavorless." Related: Faded; fading. As a noun, from c.1300.

fade

verb (used without object), fad·ed, fad·ing.

verb (used with object), fad·ed, fad·ing.

noun

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fade

verb

noun

Word Origin for fade

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