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
Examples of recede in a Sentence
Verb (1)
the sound of sirens receded as the fire engines roared off into the distance
after the rain stops, the floodwaters should gradually recede
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
The glaciers were noticeably receding and that meant, in the short term, that there would be swollen rivers, but in the long term, the rivers wouldn't have the glaciers to feed them.—Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 13 Sep. 2024 The waters were beginning to recede in some areas, while others could see a foot of rain by the weekend, the National Hurricane Center warned.—John Bacon, USA TODAY, 13 Sep. 2024 In the capital, flood waters from the Red River receded slightly but many areas were still inundated with water neck-high in some places.—Hau Dinh and David Rising, Los Angeles Times, 12 Sep. 2024 Sharp swings in the market usually recede over a period of weeks or months, although some experts note that discrete events can also cause volatility to spike, such as the U.S. presidential election and conflict in the Middle East.—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 9 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for recede
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'recede.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Verb (1)
Middle English, from Latin recedere to go back, from re- + cedere to go
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