faded

American  

[fey-did] / ˈfeɪ dɪd /

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.

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verb

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

Other Word Forms

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

Etymology

Origin of faded

fade ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Explanation

Faded things have lost the bright color they once had. Your faded jeans, once dark blue but now pale and worn, might be your favorite thing to wear. Clothes become faded after being worn and washed again and again, and in many places the landscape itself seems faded in the wintertime, all dull grays and pale browns. Strength, energy, or vitality can also become faded, like a boxer toward the end of a long match. The Old French root of faded is fader, "become weak," from fade, "weak, pale, or insipid."

Example Sentences

In recent years, however, the private equity argument has faded.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

The enthusiasm around CoreWeave’s new deal with Meta Platforms has already faded.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

Staff at the shop in the East Midlands were curious about the artwork when they found a faded label on the back which linked it to The Scottish Gallery in Edinburgh.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

“Hopes for a quick wind-down of the Iran war faded, contrary to the wishful market action earlier in the week,” writes Rosenberg Research’s David Rosenberg.

From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026

Her arms are bare and the faded hospital gown is tied around her neck.

From "Clairboyance" by Kristiana Kahakauwila

Related Words

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