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Which of these grows at about the same rate that the Moon recedes from Earth?

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recede

¹ American  

[ri-seed] / rɪˈsid /

verb (used without object)

receded, receding

1. 

   to go or move away; retreat; go to or toward a more distant point; withdraw.

2. to become more distant.

3. (of a color, form, etc., on a flat surface) to move away or be perceived as moving away from an observer, especially as giving the illusion of space.

4. to slope backward.

   a chin that recedes.

5. to draw back or withdraw from a conclusion, viewpoint, undertaking, promise, etc.

   Synonyms:

   retreat, retire

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recede ² American  

[ree-seed] / riˈsid /

verb (used with object)

receded, receding

1. to cede back; yield or grant to a former possessor.

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recede British  

/ rɪˈsiːd /

verb

1. to withdraw from a point or limit; go back

   the tide receded

2. to become more distant

   hopes of rescue receded

3. to slope backwards

   apes have receding foreheads

4. 1. (of a man's hair) to cease to grow at the temples and above the forehead

   2. (of a man) to start to go bald in this way

5. to decline in value or character

6. (usually foll by from) to draw back or retreat, as from a promise

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Etymology

Origin of recede¹

First recorded in 1470–80; from Latin recēdere “to go back, fall back”; equivalent to re- + cede

Origin of recede²

First recorded in 1765–75; re- + cede

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Explanation

Recede means to pull back, retreat, or become faint or distant. Flood waters recede, as do glaciers, and even abstractions like "panic" and "hope." Think "receding hairline." (That means bald.) Cede means "to yield." Politicians, after losing an election will "cede the field" or "concede the race." Recede means to yield back. Over time, this word has taken on the sense of fading or growing faint, as in "The ghostly vision of a woman receded into the fog."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

recede receded receding

The listing could also pave the way for Jio's competitors to raise prices, as fears of being undercut by a cheaper rival begin to recede.

From BBC ● Oct. 27, 2026

Long Beach officials said they continue to work to fortify the sand berms and seawall that remain, and are checking drains to ensure any flooding can quickly recede.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

Consequently, “if the stock market pulls back inflation should recede, growth prospects dim and the Fed back away from hikes,” he says.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 4, 2026

A central bank need not raise rates in response to such shocks, confident that as they recede, inflation will ease on its own.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 26, 2026

They may recede for a while, but they always return.

From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt

A week after the floodwaters receded, Angelenos started circulating petitions that would recall the corrupt Shaw from office.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026

In recent weeks, many of those worries have receded.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026

As the tide receded, Bucknall and his team hitched a heavy steel roller to the back of a quad bike to pack down the sand to produce a firm playing surface.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

That possibility has receded for now, with Verstappen's new contract with Red Bull.

From BBC ● Sep. 1, 2026

He had saved what he could save, and there was nothing else to do here until the water receded.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers

Early this summer, many officials had hoped the Fed could hold off on raising rates this year if price pressures began receding on their own.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

By studying these events at different distances, the researchers found that more distant objects appeared to be receding faster.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026

While heavy rain continued to fall early Monday evening, Public Works Secretary Vince Dizon told a news conference that floodwaters were receding.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

After mid-August there are signs of high pressure receding for a time, allowing Atlantic low pressure and frontal systems closer to the UK.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

Nearly four years younger than his brother, Ernest, at the age of thirty-one he looked rather the elder: his hairline receding, his face already bearing the dour expression of a country doctor.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

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Related Words

• abate
• decrease
• diminish
• dwindle
• ebb
• fade
• fall back
• lessen
• reduce
• retreat
• shrink
• sink
• subside
• taper
• wane

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