as in retrogressing
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1
as in subsiding
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in retreating
to move back or away (as from something difficult, dangerous, or disagreeable)
after the rain stops, the floodwaters should gradually recede
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of receding
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
The film slowly sheds its main characters—receding ice, a grandfather lost, and a grandmother slipping away last.
—
Erika Owen,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
On June 6, a man with a slightly receding hairline walked into a beachside tattoo stand in Chennai, India, showed the proprietor a message on a phone screen, and, with video recording the whole process, settled in to get a line of text apparently tattooed across his forehead.
—
T.m. Brown,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
Deep green hills covered in dense trees rise in the background, receding into the far distance — representing the many ways that wild land seems to thrive in this vast urban space.
—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
The Sagrada Familia is a global pulpit, but it's set in a country where Christianity is receding.
—
ABC News,
9 June 2026
Her portrait of residents pinched between floods and receding sea ice is a testament to their love of this vulnerable land that is their home.
—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Flood waters along Four Mile Creek are receding.
—
Nc Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 May 2026
However, the Serie A outfit’s hopes of signing Alisson are receding with the Merseyside club showing no willingness to sanction the departure of their long-serving No 1.
—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Verb
Stamfordham, a military veteran with a thick drooping mustache and receding hairline, sat down at his desk in Windsor Castle on April 17 and penned a note to the War Office.
—
Literary Hub,
16 June 2026
The film slowly sheds its main characters—receding ice, a grandfather lost, and a grandmother slipping away last.
—
Erika Owen,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 June 2026
On June 6, a man with a slightly receding hairline walked into a beachside tattoo stand in Chennai, India, showed the proprietor a message on a phone screen, and, with video recording the whole process, settled in to get a line of text apparently tattooed across his forehead.
—
T.m. Brown,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
Deep green hills covered in dense trees rise in the background, receding into the far distance — representing the many ways that wild land seems to thrive in this vast urban space.
—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
The Sagrada Familia is a global pulpit, but it's set in a country where Christianity is receding.
—
ABC News,
9 June 2026
Her portrait of residents pinched between floods and receding sea ice is a testament to their love of this vulnerable land that is their home.
—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
Flood waters along Four Mile Creek are receding.
—
Nc Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
30 May 2026
However, the Serie A outfit’s hopes of signing Alisson are receding with the Merseyside club showing no willingness to sanction the departure of their long-serving No 1.
—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for receding
Adjective
-
Three other vehicles with human drivers then appeared to illegally pass the stopped bus.
-
The truck crossed into the eastbound lane and crashed into the stopped Kia, striking the three pedestrians, CHP said.
Noun
-
To gently keep birds out of your planters, check them often and use subtle deterrents like peppermint cotton balls or shiny hanging strips.
-
Records from the medical examiner reviewed by Entertainment Weekly listed his causes of death as sequelae of anoxic brain injury and hanging.
Verb
-
The afternoon started tough until the wind kept subsiding, and players began taking aim at flags.
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Weather service and public safety officials said the safest thing to do is to stay away from the beaches altogether until the southern swells start subsiding.
Verb
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Rather than retreating into defensive shape after losing possession, teams are immediately attempting to recover the ball high up the pitch.
-
Officials said the dog's owner attempted to use bear spray while retreating from the area but was unsuccessful.
Noun
-
Even after weeks of drying winds, the crackly leaves worked themselves into every corner and declivity.
Verb
-
Most of these early mandate states were centered around the Northeast, where viral spread started decreasing as a result of normal season patterns.
-
Across the United States, cities are decreasing the number of available psychiatric beds just as demand is surging.
Verb
-
Serena Williams is withdrawing from Wimbledon doubles competition after injuring her knee at the tournament earlier this week.
-
In an interview with The Sacramento Bee Wednesday, the labor leader behind Proposition 40 accused Newsom of failing to propose any alternative ahead of the June 25 deadline for withdrawing ballot measures.
Noun
-
Surveys showing a decline in Americans who see democracy as important.
-
This decision stems from chronic staffing shortages, crumbling infrastructure, budget constraints, and a substantial decline in the federal inmate population, which peaked in 2013 and has since fallen by nearly 30%.
Cite this Entry
“Receding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/receding. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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