faded

[fey-did]

adjective

1. having lost brightness, intensity, volume, etc., as of light, color, or sound.

   She was wearing a faded polyester skirt.

2. having lost freshness, vigor, strength, or health.

   Regular removal of faded flowers is often needed to keep annuals blooming.

3. having gradually disappeared or died out.

   The movie’s main theme is the resuscitation of faded love.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of fade.

Other Word Forms

• fadedly adverb
• fadedness noun
• unfaded adjective
• well-faded adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of faded¹

fade ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Today, Autumn’s high-waisted jeans are paired with a faded black Star Wars T-shirt.

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Letter paper was scarce in Plinkst, but she had found a stack of yellowed sheets in the nursery that still bore the faded trace of Master Gogolev’s handwriting.

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The rosy glow faded before her eyes, and soon it was too dark to see anything but shadows.

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She gave a wave good-bye without turning ’round, and the jingle-jingle-jingle of her keys quickly faded into the distance.

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Penelope took hold of the drawing with a smile that quickly faded, for the child had filled the page with a tall, menacing scribble of brown.

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Related Words

• run down 
• seedy 
• shabby 
• tacky 
• tattered 
• threadbare 
• worn