recede
1 of 2verb (1)
re·cede ri-ˈsēd 
receded; receding
intransitive verb
1
a
: to move back or away : withdraw
a receding hairline
b
: to slant backward
2
: to grow less or smaller : diminish, decrease
a receding deficit
recede
2 of 2verb (2)
re·cede (ˌ)rē-ˈsēd
receded; receding; recedes
transitive verb
: to cede back to a former possessor
Synonyms
Verb (1)
- abate
- de-escalate
- decline
- decrease
- die (away or down or out)
- diminish
- drain (away)
- drop (off)
- dwindle
- ease
- ebb
- fall
- fall away
- lessen
- let up
- lower
- moderate
- pall
- phase down
- ratchet (down)
- rachet (down)
- relent
- remit
- shrink
- subside
- taper
- taper off
- wane
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the Web
Rebecca Rozelle-stone, The Conversation, 6 Sep. 2022 The glaciers in this area of the Alaska Range did not recede this season. John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 28 Aug. 2022 For all of the lifted virus travel restrictions, safety is not likely to recede as a concern. Arkansas Online, 3 July 2022 For all of the lifted virus travel restrictions, safety is not likely to recede as a concern. Laurie Kellman, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 July 2022 But more liberal economists and policy analysts argue that the ongoing inflation spike is a temporary problem rooted in the economy's recovery from the pandemic disruption and will soon recede. Ronald Brownstein, CNN, 20 July 2021 As the pendulum swings back to a postpandemic world, the focus on telehealth, at-home fitness and meal delivery will recede, while appetite for travel, in-person events and luxury fashion remerges. Amy Wilkinson, WSJ, 28 July 2022 As we’re reminded by the sight of characters repeatedly donning face masks, that world doesn’t recede politely into the background, even when inconvenient desires intrude and a home starts to feel like uncharted territory. Justin Changfilm Critic, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2022 On the flip side, Anelle intentionally allowed other spaces to recede and create a pause from overpowering visual stimulation. Krissa Rossbund, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2022 Jon Hilsenrath, WSJ, 28 Aug. 2022 The glaciers in this area of the Alaska Range did not recede this season. John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 28 Aug. 2022 An inflation surge is presenting a fresh challenge for Mr. Biden, who for months insisted that rising prices were a temporary hangover from the pandemic recession and would quickly recede. New York Times, 26 Oct. 2021 As the Voyagers recede from us in space and time, their signals are becoming ever fainter. Tim Folger, Scientific American, 18 June 2022 As those uncertainties recede, the fundamentals will reassert themselves. Brad Mcmillan, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2022 The first is that the Fed is right that high inflation will recede on its own, but sharply raises rates anyway out of fear of rising expectations, slowing the economy to head off a nonexistent threat. Nick Timiraos, WSJ, 12 Dec. 2021 As the pendulum swings back to a postpandemic world, the focus on telehealth, at-home fitness and meal delivery will recede, while appetite for travel, in-person events and luxury fashion remerges. Amy Wilkinson, WSJ, 28 July 2022 On the flip side, Anelle intentionally allowed other spaces to recede and create a pause from overpowering visual stimulation. Krissa Rossbund, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2022 See More
Verb
Ongoing tragic events, like the assault on Ukraine, can recede from people’s attention because many may feel overwhelmed, helpless or drawn to other urgent issues. Rebecca Rozelle-stone, The Conversation, 6 Sep. 2022 The glaciers in this area of the Alaska Range did not recede this season. John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 28 Aug. 2022 For all of the lifted virus travel restrictions, safety is not likely to recede as a concern. Arkansas Online, 3 July 2022 For all of the lifted virus travel restrictions, safety is not likely to recede as a concern. Laurie Kellman, The Christian Science Monitor, 1 July 2022 But more liberal economists and policy analysts argue that the ongoing inflation spike is a temporary problem rooted in the economy's recovery from the pandemic disruption and will soon recede. Ronald Brownstein, CNN, 20 July 2021 As the pendulum swings back to a postpandemic world, the focus on telehealth, at-home fitness and meal delivery will recede, while appetite for travel, in-person events and luxury fashion remerges. Amy Wilkinson, WSJ, 28 July 2022 As we’re reminded by the sight of characters repeatedly donning face masks, that world doesn’t recede politely into the background, even when inconvenient desires intrude and a home starts to feel like uncharted territory. Justin Changfilm Critic, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2022 On the flip side, Anelle intentionally allowed other spaces to recede and create a pause from overpowering visual stimulation. Krissa Rossbund, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2022 Verb
If inflation doesn’t recede and the Fed responds with additional, aggressive interest-rate increases, then the U.S. might be on the cusp of an unambiguous downturn that everyone agrees to call recession. Jon Hilsenrath, WSJ, 28 Aug. 2022 The glaciers in this area of the Alaska Range did not recede this season. John Schandelmeier, Anchorage Daily News, 28 Aug. 2022 An inflation surge is presenting a fresh challenge for Mr. Biden, who for months insisted that rising prices were a temporary hangover from the pandemic recession and would quickly recede. New York Times, 26 Oct. 2021 As the Voyagers recede from us in space and time, their signals are becoming ever fainter. Tim Folger, Scientific American, 18 June 2022 As those uncertainties recede, the fundamentals will reassert themselves. Brad Mcmillan, Forbes, 25 Jan. 2022 The first is that the Fed is right that high inflation will recede on its own, but sharply raises rates anyway out of fear of rising expectations, slowing the economy to head off a nonexistent threat. Nick Timiraos, WSJ, 12 Dec. 2021 As the pendulum swings back to a postpandemic world, the focus on telehealth, at-home fitness and meal delivery will recede, while appetite for travel, in-person events and luxury fashion remerges. Amy Wilkinson, WSJ, 28 July 2022 On the flip side, Anelle intentionally allowed other spaces to recede and create a pause from overpowering visual stimulation. Krissa Rossbund, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 July 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Verb (1)
Middle English, from Latin recedere to go back, from re- + cedere to go
Verb (2)
re- + cede
First Known Use
Verb (1)
15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb (2)
1771, in the meaning defined above
Kids Definition
recede
verb
re·cede ri-ˈsēd
receded; receding
1
: to move back or away
Floodwaters are receding.
2
: to become smaller or weaker
… I heard … footsteps receding. Avi, Crispin: The Cross of Lead
Avi, Crispin: The Cross of Leadreceding 1 of 3
adjective
as in retrogressing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- retrogressing
- regressing
- stopped
- ended
- halted
- stalled
- arrested
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- proceeding
- ongoing
- operating
- happening
- working
- functioning
- afloat
- afoot
- going
- alive
receding
2 of 3noun
as in hanging
Synonyms & Similar Words
- hanging
- decline
- declivity
- dip
- fall
- hang
- declination
- descent
- declension
- downgrade
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- slope
- gradient
- lean
- inclination
- pitch
- incline
- diagonal
- rise
- bank
- grade
- rake
- cant
- upgrade
- climb
- ascent
- slant
receding
3 of 3verb
1
as in subsiding
to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually the sound of sirens receded as the fire engines roared off into the distance Synonyms & Similar Words
- subsiding
- diminishing
- decreasing
- vanishing
- shrinking
- falling
- declining
- ebbing
- easing
- waning
- tapering
- dwindling
- lessening
- evaporating
- weakening
- palling
- relenting
- lowering
- moderating
- abating
- falling away
- tapering off
- phasing down
- remitting
- collapsing
- racheting (down)
- letting up
- ratcheting (down)
- contracting
- compressing
- slackening
- dying (away or down or out)
- de-escalating
- draining (away)
- constricting
- condensing
- dropping (off)
- alleviating
- sinking
- relaxing
- giving out
- flagging
- deflating
- fading (away)
- slowing (down)
- melting (away)
- tailing (off)
- frittering (away)
- petering (out)
- caving (in)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- rising
- increasing
- growing
- swelling
- expanding
- intensifying
- enlarging
- building
- escalating
- mounting
- accumulating
- soaring
- emerging
- mushrooming
- burgeoning
- appearing
- waxing
- snowballing
- ballooning
- picking up
- lengthening
- bourgeoning
- elongating
- distending
- blowing up
- showing up
2
as in retreating
to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable) after the rain stops, the floodwaters should gradually recede Synonyms & Similar Words
- retreating
- withdrawing
- retiring
- fleeing
- shrinking
- evacuating
- backing away
- falling back
- giving way
- pulling out
- dropping back
- losing ground
- giving ground
- flying
- leaving
- recoiling
- detaching
- flinching
- departing
- abandoning
- going
- backpedaling
- bowing out
- backing down
- disengaging
- backtracking
- vacating
- climbing down
- pulling away
- disentangling
- quitting
- chickening (out)
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- advancing
- facing
- confronting
- breasting
- defying
- daring
- braving
- brazening
- outbraving
- bearding