ENGLISH
REFERENCE

fades

v.
B1 Intermediate US //ˈfeɪdz// UK //fˈeɪdz// fades

v. to slowly lose color, brightness, or strength until it disappears. You often see this happen to old clothes in the sun or hear it when music gets quieter.

v. to lose brightness, vividness, or loudness gradually; to disappear slowly from sight or hearing. Often describes the effects of light exposure on pigments or the decay of an acoustic signal.


SIMPLE

The bright red curtains began to fade in the sun.

CONTEXTUAL

As the sun set behind the mountains, the last bits of daylight started to fade into a deep purple.

COMPLEX

The once-vibrant murals on the city walls have begun to fade after decades of exposure to harsh weather and urban pollution, leaving only ghostly outlines of the original art.

Synonyms
Usage

Intransitive when describing the process of losing color; transitive when an external force causes the loss.

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