Definition

1. Verb:
   • To move back or away from a previous position: To go or become more distant, often gradually.
   • To become less intense, prominent, or severe: To diminish in strength, importance, or visibility.
   • To slope backward: Used to describe a feature, such as a hairline or chin, that slopes away from the front.

Examples of Usage

• Verb:
  • The floodwaters began to recede after the storm.
  • As the ship sailed away, the coastline slowly receded from view.
  • His hairline has started to recede.
  • Her fear receded once she realized she was safe.

Advanced Usage

• "to recede from": To withdraw from a commitment, agreement, or position.
  • The company decided to recede from the controversial deal.
• "to recede into the background": To become less noticeable or important; to withdraw from a prominent role.
  • After the scandal, the politician receded into the background.

Variants and Related Words

• Receding (adj): Moving back or becoming more distant.
  • The receding tide left shells on the beach.
• Recession (n): A period of economic decline; also, the act of receding.
  • The country is recovering from a deep recession.
• Recessional (adj): Related to or occurring during a recession or withdrawal.

Synonyms

• Retreat: To move back, especially from a difficult or dangerous situation.
• Withdraw: To remove or take back; to pull back from a position.
• Subside: To become less intense, violent, or severe.
• Ebb: To decline or recede, like the tide.

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Recede from: To withdraw from or move away from something.
  • He was forced to recede from his earlier statement.

Related Idioms

• Recede into the distance: To become smaller and less clear as it moves farther away.
  • We watched the car's taillights recede into the distance.

Verb

1. become faint or more distant
   • the unhappy memories of her childhood receded as she grew older
2. retreat
3. pull back or move away or backward
   • The enemy withdrew
   • The limo pulled away from the curb