RECEDE Synonyms: 117 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the verb 'recede' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of recede are back , retract , and retreat . While all these words mean "to move backward," recede implies a gradual withdrawing from a forward or high fixed point in time or space. // the flood waters gradually receded

Q: In what contexts can 'back' take the place of 'recede'?

The meanings of back and recede largely overlap; however, back is used with up, down, out , or off to refer to any retrograde motion. // backed off on the throttle

Q: When could 'retract' be used to replace 'recede'?

In some situations, the words retract and recede are roughly equivalent. However, retract implies drawing back from an extended position. // a cat retracting its claws

Q: When would 'retreat' be a good substitute for 'recede'?

While the synonyms retreat and recede are close in meaning, retreat implies withdrawal from a point or position reached. // retreating soldiers

recede

verb

ri-ˈsēd

Definition of recede next

as in to subside

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to withdraw

to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable) after the rain stops, the floodwaters should gradually recede

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb recede contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of recede are back, retract, and retreat. While all these words mean "to move backward," recede implies a gradual withdrawing from a forward or high fixed point in time or space.

the flood waters gradually receded

In what contexts can back take the place of recede?

The meanings of back and recede largely overlap; however, back is used with up, down, out, or off to refer to any retrograde motion.

backed off on the throttle

When could retract be used to replace recede?

In some situations, the words retract and recede are roughly equivalent. However, retract implies drawing back from an extended position.

a cat retracting its claws

When would retreat be a good substitute for recede?

While the synonyms retreat and recede are close in meaning, retreat implies withdrawal from a point or position reached.

retreating soldiers

Examples Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of recede Globally, the world’s forests are receding at a rapid clip, with more than 40,000 square miles disappearing annually, according to the United Nations. —

Saint Ekpali, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 Nov. 2024 Wang relinquishes her post as narrator and recedes into the background, quietly observing Payá and her friends. —

Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Nov. 2024 What was once a perennial wetland became a seasonal marshland, with flood waters receding every spring and summer. —

Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 27 Nov. 2024 However, the public presence of Israelis and Jews in the UAE has appeared to recede since the devastating Hamas cross-border attack on Israeli communities of Oct. 7, 2023 that triggered the Gaza conflict, which has sparked protests worldwide. —

Reuters, USA TODAY, 24 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for recede

Recent Examples of Synonyms for recede

Verb

The tension subsides only in the last iteration, as the bare interval A-E swells and then breaks off.

Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
The foul odors subsided when the facility closed in 2014, but a decade later, the infrastructure sits as a 47-acre blighted industrial property on the edge of the Santa Cruz River.

John Leos, The Arizona Republic, 1 Nov. 2024