Standard Lemma guide

recede

verb · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ɹɪˈsiːd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -iːd
  • CMU ARPABET: R IH0 S IY1 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To move back; to retreat; to withdraw.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: recur, retrocede

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To cede back; to grant or yield again to a former possessor.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • to recede conquered territory

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

verb

Meaning 3

To take back.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

verb

Meaning 4

become faint or more distant

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the unhappy memories of her childhood receded as she grew older

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: change

Narrower terms: ebb

5

verb

Meaning 5

retreat

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: fall back, lose, drop off, fall behind

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: regress, retrograde, retrogress

6

verb

Meaning 6

pull back or move away or backward

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The enemy withdrew
  • The limo pulled away from the curb

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: withdraw, retreat, pull away, draw back, pull back, retire, move back

Antonyms: advance

Broader terms: travel, go, move, locomote

Narrower terms: fall back, retrograde, retreat, back up, back off, back down

History

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English receden, from Middle French receder and its etymon Latin recedere (“to withdraw; to go back”), from re- + cedere (“to go”).

Across languages

Translations

39 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: оттеглям се (ottegljam se) — move back, move away
  • Bulgarian: отстъпвам (otstǎpvam) — move back, move away
  • Bulgarian: вдлъбвам се (vdlǎbvam se) — move back, move away
  • Catalan: recular — move back, move away
  • Catalan: retirar-se — move back, move away
  • Catalan: allunyar-se — move back, move away
  • Czech: ustoupit — move back, move away
  • Danish: trække sig tilbage — move back, move away
  • Dutch: zich terugtrekken — move back, move away
  • Finnish: vetäytyä — move back, move away
  • Finnish: perääntyä — move back, move away
  • French: reculer — move back, move away
  • French: se retirer — move back, move away
  • Galician: recuar — move back, move away
  • Galician: cear — move back, move away
  • German: zurückgehen — move back, move away
  • German: schwinden — move back, move away
  • Irish: téigh ar gcúl — move back, move away
  • Irish: cúlaigh — move back, move away
  • Italian: recedere — move back, move away
  • Japanese: あそびをとる (asobi wo toru) — move back, move away
  • Latin: recēdō — move back, move away
  • Middle English: receden — move back, move away
  • Norwegian: trekke seg tilbake — move back, move away
  • Polish: wycofać się — move back, move away
  • Polish: wycofywać się — move back, move away
  • Romanian: retrage — move back, move away
  • Russian: отступа́ть (otstupátʹ) — move back, move away
  • Russian: убыва́ть (ubyvátʹ) — move back, move away
  • Spanish: alejarse — move back, move away
  • Spanish: retroceder — move back, move away
  • Spanish: recejar — move back, move away
  • Spanish: recular — move back, move away
  • Spanish: ciar — move back, move away
  • Spanish: cejar — move back, move away
  • Spanish: tener entradas — move back, move away
  • Spanish: caer — move back, move away
  • Bulgarian: връщам обратно (vrǎštam obratno) — take back
  • Dutch: terugnemen — take back