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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

In Newport Beach, there was a sigh of relief as the high tide began to recede Sunday..

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026

Intellectual barriers to faith are most likely to recede at certain liminal moments when the emotional or spiritual pull takes over, and tradition and community assume more importance.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 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

Presently the voices began to recede again, and then they slowly faded away.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

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

The darkness receded from it, until it seemed to shine in the centre of a globe of airy crystal, and the hand that held it sparkled with white fire.

From "The Two Towers" by J. R. R. Tolkien

In a briefing on Monday, government spokesman Ekkapob Pianpises said floods were receding, but "some areas in Bangkok are still facing high water levels".

From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026

Since the Moon is receding from Earth at roughly 3.8 centimeters a year, millions of years from now it will appear too small to produce the phenomenon.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026

It’s true: I live surrounded by people who keep receding into the music of the past.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026

Photos from across the country have captured some of the dry conditions - including receding rivers, parched parks and sportspeople trying to play on.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

If there is less than a certain critical amount of matter in the universe, the gravitation of the receding galaxies will be insufficient to stop the expansion, and the universe will run away forever.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

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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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