recede implies a gradual withdrawing from a forward or high fixed point in time or space.
the flood waters gradually receded
retreat implies withdrawal from a point or position reached.
retreating soldiers
retract implies drawing back from an extended position.
a cat retracting its claws
back is used with up, down, out, or off to refer to any retrograde motion.
backed off on the throttle
Examples of recede in a Sentence
Verb (1)
the sound of sirens receded as the fire engines roared off into the distance
after the rain stops, the floodwaters should gradually recede
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Other big names in American lexicography were already receding.—Stefan Fatsis, The Atlantic, 13 Sep. 2025 Our research highlights the fact that when public investment recedes, companies tend to focus on products with clearer near-term returns.—Zeynep Hasgül, The Conversation, 12 Sep. 2025 Moreover, Hubble put together a superior set of observations that further revealed that the more distant a galaxy was from us, the faster it was observed to be receding away from us as well.—Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025 Front and center frame, Chiliwhist Jim presides over the scene, and the camera, while the white men and their dog sit or stand idly, receding into the perspectival distance behind him.—Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for recede
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1)
Middle English, from Latin recedere to go back, from re- + cedere to go
Share