fade

1 of 3

verb

faded; fading

intransitive verb

1
: to lose freshness, strength, or vitality : wither
fading flowers
2
: to lose freshness or brilliance of color
The fabrics faded in the strong sunshine.
3
: to sink away : vanish
a fading memory
The smile faded from his face.
4
: to change gradually in loudness, strength, or visibility
used of a motion-picture image or of an electronics signal and usually with in or out
One scene fades out as the next scene fades in.
The radio signal faded out as we got further away from the station.
5
of an automobile brake : to lose braking power gradually
6
: to move back from the line of scrimmage
used of a quarterback
7
of a ball or shot : to move in a slight to moderate slice

transitive verb

: to cause to fade
time has not completely faded the humor of these versesG. H. Genzmer
fader noun

fade

2 of 3

noun

1
a
b
: a gradual changing of one picture to another in a motion-picture or television sequence
2
: a fading of an automobile brake
3
: a slight to moderate and usually intentional slice in golf
4
: a hairstyle similar to a crew cut in which the hair on top of the head stands high

fade

3 of 3

adjective

Examples of fade in a Sentence

Verb The flowers were fading in the vase. the fading light of late afternoon She was fading fast from the effects of the pneumonia. We watched the ship gradually fade from view as it sailed away. The smile faded from his face. Hopes for a quick end of the crisis are fading fast. Their reasons for leaving have faded from memory. He's trying to recapture the faded glory of his youth. The band's popularity has faded in recent years. The fabric will fade unless you protect it from the sunlight. Noun The movie ends with a fade to black.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Verb
Advertisement As the years pass, those banners hanging inside Pauley Pavilion fade like the memories of those championships. Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024 This shift in mindset happens not through mandate but through results: When teams experience firsthand how AI amplifies their capabilities, their resistance naturally fades. Manmit Shrimali, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
Bryce not fading away: A day after getting intercepted twice, Young was on point against the Jets, particularly on fade routes. Joseph Person, The Athletic, 15 Aug. 2024 Though the in-drive brake is still undergoing testing, Mercedes reckons that brake fade will be a non-issue as the system is water-cooled. New Atlas, 25 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for fade 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English, from Anglo-French *fader, from fade feeble, insipid, from Vulgar Latin *fatidus, alteration of Latin fatuus fatuous, insipid

Noun

derivative of fade entry 1

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun

1918, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fade was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near fade

Cite this Entry

“Fade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fade. Accessed 27 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

fade

1 of 2 verb
faded; fading
1
: to lose freshness or health
fading flowers
2
: to lose or cause to lose brightness of color
3
: to disappear gradually
a fading memory
4
: to change gradually in loudness or visibility
used of a motion-picture image or of an electronics signal and usually with in or out

fade

2 of 2 noun
: a gradual changing of one picture to another in a motion-picture or television sequence

More from Merriam-Webster on fade

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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