RECEDES Synonyms: 117 Similar and Opposite Words

recedes

verb

present tense third-person singular of recede

as in subsides

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in withdraws

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

Example 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 recedes Desertification, a process where vegetation recedes because of high heat and low rainfall, threatens much of the Great Hungarian Plain. — ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026 Aromas grow more tannic with time as the fruit recedes into the background—except for apricot, which remains pronounced throughout. — David Thomas Tao, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 As the water recedes from the floods, Indianapolis officials, business owners and residents have begun assessing the damage. — Jen Guadarrama, IndyStar, 20 Aug. 2026 Ford is among the few filmmakers who succeeds in filming a stage performance with visual attention (a combination of duration and framing) that sustains literary continuity yet never recedes to mere home-video-like recording. — Richard Brody, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2026 The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife said dogfish and other small sharks commonly forage close to shore during the summer and can become trapped near sandbars as the tide recedes, according to ABC6. — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026 But when this latest surge plateaus or recedes, the game could well be up. — Michael B. G. Froman, Foreign Affairs, 13 Aug. 2026 But, even with the end so near, my thoughts turn ahead to preparations for another trip when the water recedes a bit. — Ralph Tuttle, Outdoor Life, 25 June 2026 So far, Arens has been surprised by how quickly native vegetation resumes life as the water recedes, in some places as soon as two or three years. — Elise Schmelzer, Denver Post, 7 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for recedes

Verb

When the storm subsides, the Pogues use Kiara’s coordinates and Pope’s calculations to return to the water and search for the gold.

— Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
The brutal nausea and vomiting of norovirus, for instance, subsides in one to three days; even the relentless diarrhea of cyclosporiasis can let up in a couple of days with an antibiotic.

— Erica Sloan, Washington Post, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of subsides

Verb

Once the journey time increases, the value proposition diminishes and the project is less likely to succeed.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Aug. 2026
The Congressional Budget Office estimates that for every dollar added to the deficit, private investment loses 33 cents, which diminishes economic growth and wages over time.

— Medora Lee, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of diminishes

Verb

With the bulk of his work at practice done for the day, Achord retreats to the back of the end zone with Koonz, squatting and scribbling something on paper.

— Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Twice a day, the tide retreats from the shoreline, sometimes for up to two miles.

— Kim Foley MacKinnon, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of retreats

Verb

Fertility in women decreases gradually but significantly at age 32 and rapidly after 37, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

— Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
While passengers often remain seated for hours at a time, crew spend the majority of the flight on their feet, which decreases their chances of stiffness.

— Sophia Dyer, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of decreases

Verb

Robinson retires with 565 catches, 7,058 yards, and 43 touchdowns.

— Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
When a buyback operation retires $4 billion of 30-year bonds, that borrowing need grows by $4 billion, and with coupon auction sizes frozen, the marginal instrument is the bill.

— James Broughel, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of retires

Verb

In Figments of Freedom, written, directed by and starring Webber, a Marine goes AWOL, burns his life to ash, and vanishes into America’s fractured heart.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 Aug. 2026
For many, August represents the last opportunity to sneak in a summer vacation before the season all too quickly vanishes.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of vanishes

Verb

The company says its reactor’s electrical output falls within the range of a high-performance vehicle drivetrain.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
If Colorado’s 2027 first-round pick is not transferred to the Toronto Maple Leafs or if its 2028 first-round pick falls within the top 10, Nashville instead gets Colorado’s 2029 first-round pick.

— Peter Baugh, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026