recede
1 Americanverb (used without object)
-
to go or move away; retreat; go to or toward a more distant point; withdraw.
-
to become more distant.
-
(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.
-
to slope backward.
a chin that recedes.
-
to draw back or withdraw from a conclusion, viewpoint, undertaking, promise, etc.
verb (used with object)
verb
-
to withdraw from a point or limit; go back
the tide receded
-
to become more distant
hopes of rescue receded
-
to slope backwards
apes have receding foreheads
-
-
(of a man's hair) to cease to grow at the temples and above the forehead
-
(of a man) to start to go bald in this way
-
-
to decline in value or character
-
(usually foll by from) to draw back or retreat, as from a promise
Etymology
Origin of recede1
First recorded in 1470–80; from Latin recēdere “to go back, fall back”; equivalent to re- + cede
Origin of recede2
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."
Vocabulary lists containing recede
"The Most Dangerous Game" by Richard Connell
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Hatchet
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
List 8
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
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
Economists and industry analysts say that even after oil starts flowing again from the Middle East, it could take a while for the Iran war’s effects on consumer prices to recede.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
In an expanding universe, more distant galaxies generally recede more quickly because a greater amount of space lies between them and us.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026
But such moments were tempered by the long penumbra cast by Everest, which seemed to recede little with the passage of time.
From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer
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
But then the number fell from 2010 until 2022, as the Great Recession’s impact gradually receded.
From Salon ● Aug. 29, 2026
Somehow the house remains intact and survivors can be seen in a second verified video standing surrounded by mud once the floodwater had receded.
From BBC ● Aug. 28, 2026
One day, the sea receded so far that fish were hopping on the ground.
From "The Bridge Home" by Padma Venkatraman
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
It’s true: I live surrounded by people who keep receding into the music of the past.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
The oak grove was a quickly receding lake.
From Each Little Bird That Sings by Deborah Wiles
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
