Synonyms of fade

fade 1 of 2

verb

ˈfād 

1

as in to disappear

to cease to be visible

the departing ship gradually faded over the horizon

Synonyms & Similar Words

• disappear
• vanish
• melt
• fly
• evaporate
• dissipate
• dissolve
• flee
• sink
• evanesce
• blur
• dematerialize
• drop out of sight
• die (away or down or out)
• dim
• disperse
• dry up
• clear
• blank (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• appear
• emerge
• arrive
• materialize
• issue
• come out
• show up
• break out
• loom

2

as in to bleach

to make white or whiter by removing color

years of harsh sunlight had faded the car, which was once fire-engine red

Synonyms & Similar Words

• bleach
• brighten
• dull
• whiten
• pale
• decolorize
• blanch
• snow
• dim
• blench
• lighten
• wash out
• silver
• frost
• mat
• whitewash
• etiolate

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• deepen
• darken
• tarnish
• streak
• blacken
• discolor
• pattern
• shade
• marble
• spot
• striate
• paint
• dye
• pigment
• blotch
• stripe
• stain
• shine
• speckle
• color
• embrown
• tint
• daub
• speck
• polychrome
• tinge
• burnish
• mottle
• polish
• fleck
• dapple
• tincture
• variegate
• splotch
• checker

3

as in to weaken

to lose bodily strength or vigor

began to fade after battling the disease for years

Synonyms & Similar Words

• weaken
• sag
• go
• fail
• decay
• sink
• deteriorate
• wilt
• wither
• droop
• languish
• lag
• waste (away)
• flag
• emaciate
• rot
• wear out
• yield
• break down
• degenerate
• run down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• recover
• rebound
• rally
• recuperate
• gain
• convalesce

fade

2 of 2

noun

as in trim

Related Words

• trim
• crop
• buzz cut
• crew cut
• shag
• bob
• permanent
• shingle
• Mohawk
• big hair
• upsweep
• French twist
• queue
• braid
• bun
• perm
• pug
• beehive
• conk
• pigtail
• ponytail
• pageboy
• plait
• chignon
• pompadour
• updo
• haircut
• roach
• cut
• hairstyle
• hairdo
• ducktail
• do
• coiffure
• comb-over

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of fade

Verb

As the piece fades into the distance, Lee is still sliding around the beat, still searching. — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 20 July 2026

The days of all-neutral living rooms are fading into the past, and the nostalgic era of layered patterns, color, and textures is on the rise. — Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 July 2026

Noun

During the third act, in a cunning effect, when anyone picks up a phone, the screen’s contents are displayed on a wall as the lights fade, muting the friends onstage. — Emily Nussbaum, New Yorker, 9 July 2026

As hopes fade of live rescues from the rubble, health workers have turned their focus to the living. — Durrie Bouscaren, NPR, 8 July 2026