Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×

Thesaurus

recede

verb

Synonyms and Antonyms of recede

1 to grow less in scope or intensity especially gradually
  • The sound of sirens receded as the fire engines roared off into the distance.
Synonyms of recede

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) also rachet (down) , relent, remit, shrink, subside, taper, taper off, wane
Words Related to recede

compress, condense, constrict, contract

evaporate, fade (away), fritter (away), give out, melt (away), peter (out), tail (off), vanish

slacken, slow (down)

alleviate, relax

flag, sink, weaken

cave (in), collapse, deflate
Near Antonyms of recede

appear, emerge, show up

blow up, distend, elongate, lengthen
Antonyms of recede

accumulate, balloon, build, burgeon (also bourgeon), enlarge, escalate, expand, grow, increase, intensify, mount, mushroom, pick up, rise, snowball, soar, swell, wax
2 to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable)
  • After the rain stops, the floodwaters should gradually recede.
Synonyms of recede

back away, drop back, fall back, pull out, retire, retreat, withdraw
Words Related to recede

flee, fly

flinch, recoil, shrink

chicken (out)

bow out

back down, backpedal, backtrack, climb down

detach, disengage, disentangle, pull away

abandon, depart, evacuate, go, leave, quit, vacate
Phrases Synonymous with recede

give ground, give way, lose ground
Near Antonyms of recede

beard, brave, brazen, breast, confront, dare, defy, face, outbrave
Antonyms of recede

advance

Synonym Discussion of recede

recede, retreat, retract, back 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
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

Learn More about recede

  1. See words that rhyme with recede Dictionary: Definition of recede Spanish Central: Translation of recede Nglish: Translation of recede for Spanish speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up recede? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games