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 Waseca County Sheriff Jay Dulas said no injuries were reported, but the extent of the damage remains unclear as water slowly recedes. — Jason Rantala, CBS News, 20 Sep. 2026 Meanwhile, the narrator neither recedes nor reveals any substantial personal information. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 15 Sep. 2026 The frame tightens, and the world outside the characters recedes. — Henry Metz, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for recedes

Verb

Chadchart said despite the heavy rain, flooding should recede once the rain subsides, as city officials are working to drain floodwaters as quickly as possible.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Sep. 2026
Ideally, those refugees would remain in human care for years or even decades until the mussel invasion subsides.

— CBS News, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of subsides

Verb

Popular airline withdraws from three locations, leaving travelers with fewer routes.

— , FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
Investopedia made a state-by-state set of estimates for a single retiree who collects the average Social Security benefit of $1,975 a month and withdraws 4% of savings a year.

— Jim Edwards, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of withdraws

Verb

The local control is missing and the local responsibility diminishes significantly.

— John E. McDonough, STAT, 16 Oct. 2026
Pyrad works by instantaneously thickening when exposed to fire, forming a char that diminishes heat exposure, extinguishes flames, and decreases the risk of third-degree burns.

— Derek Rose, Time, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of diminishes

Verb

Meanwhile, Mercury stations retrograde in Scorpio and Venus retreats into Libra, joining Saturn retrograde in Aries, Uranus in Gemini, and Neptune in Aries.

— Lisa Stardust, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
But even as the characters reflect at length on the virtue of putting themselves out there, their series too often retreats within itself instead.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of retreats

Verb

Later in the week and into the weekend, the chance of rain decreases with spotty showers possible through Halloween weekend.

— CBS News, CBS News, 27 Oct. 2026
Studies have found that having strong muscles significantly decreases the higher risk of disease and early death that’s linked to chronic inflammation.

— Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of decreases

Verb

The 6% lead for the No side falls outside the poll’s margin of error, which was around 3% according to PPIC.

— Andrew Graham October 27, Sacbee.com, 28 Oct. 2026
The Hamptons If your trip falls between late spring and early fall and you’re situated on the East Coast, a trip to the Hamptons will likely be hassle-free enough for everyone involved.

— Vogue, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026