receding 1 of 3

adjective

as in retrogressing

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receding

2 of 3

noun

as in hanging

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receding

3 of 3

verb

present participle of recede
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

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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

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 receding
Verb
The Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky is perhaps the greatest chronicler of that era of scale, which stretched across the long twentieth century and only now shows the first signs of receding. — Bill McKibben, The New York Review of Books, 17 Oct. 2026 Oil is high, but not that high and the risk with Iran has been receding with oil prices coming down. — Stephen Messer, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 There is a lot of money in the market, but some of it appears to be receding and the number of commissions is coming down. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 7 Oct. 2026 Borasov’s patchy hair, already receding into lines of code when the movie first introduces Sutskever at the age of 17. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 6 Oct. 2026 The dense blocks of flats receding in Shawn’s side-view mirror were bathed in warm orange light. — Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026 Floodwaters in Thailand ’s capital were slowly receding on Monday after nearly continuous rainfall over the weekend, although some neighborhoods and major roads remained inundated. — ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026 Consider techniques like progressive muscle relaxation, body scanning, box breathing, or even picturing your thoughts as clouds that are receding into the distance. — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026 Sciences Po’s turn reflects a European assumption that, whatever happens in the US elections in 2026 and 2028, the American security umbrella is receding over the long term. — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for receding
  1. stopped
  2. hanging
  3. subsiding
  4. retreating
  5. declivity
  6. decreasing
  7. withdrawing
  8. decline
Adjective
  • The girl with a backpack on could be seen crossing the street while looking at her phone before the stopped truck began moving beside her, in videos obtained by ABC station WPVI and CBS station KYW.
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The crash drew a crowd from the stopped traffic, who quickly spread photos and videos of the driver on social media.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of stopped
Noun
  • An estimated 20,000 people gathered to watch the hanging of Rainey Bethea, a Black man who confessed to the rape and murder of a 70-year-old White woman, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
    — Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The forward group has far too often been leaving the D hanging.
    — James Mirtle, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of hanging
Verb
  • Multiple Kelvin waves These waves can bring elevated sea levels for weeks at a time, eventually subsiding before the next wave hits.
    — Zoe Mintz, CBS News, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Two of them coincide with areas where satellite radar shows that the ground is actively subsiding.
    — Nolan Roth, Scientific American, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of subsiding
Verb
  • The pope paused for a moment and waved to the crowd before retreating into his apartment in the Apostolic Palace.
    — Colleen Barry, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • In a world riven by democratic backsliding and polluted with AI slop, there’s something seductive about the idea of retreating to a wild, unnavigable place where no one can follow you—because you’ll be submerged up to your eyeballs.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of retreating
Noun
  • Even after weeks of drying winds, the crackly leaves worked themselves into every corner and declivity.
    — Annie Proulx, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2025
Definition of declivity
Verb
  • One person, by the way, Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia , came out Thursday and said that CoreWeave is fine, doesn't need help — and, in fact, the company's cost of capital is actually decreasing because Nvidia chips more than hold their value.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Experts say forever chemicals can have a major impact on your health, compromising immunity, decreasing fertility, causing developmental delays in children and increasing the risk of certain kinds of cancers.
    — WCCO Staff, CBS News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of decreasing
Verb
  • Bass pushed for a bill in the state Legislature that would have reduced taxes on apartment buildings but ended up withdrawing it.
    — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026
  • San Antonio police have advised bank customers to stay alert when withdrawing cash and watch for anyone who may be following them.
    — Jacob Beltran, San Antonio Express-News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of withdrawing
Noun
  • Both agencies have seen a notable decline in Republican support.
    — Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Cardio workouts, meanwhile, can also reduce signs of brain aging and slow future cognitive decline.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of decline

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Cite this Entry

“Receding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/receding. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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