# fading

/ˈfeɪdɪŋ/ (US) · /fˈeɪdɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/fading
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. losing color or light

verb · CEFR B1

becoming less bright, clear, or loud.

For teachers: the act of gradually losing brightness, loudness, or clarity of color.

- The sunlight was fading as the storm clouds moved across the sky.
- The fading light of the late afternoon cast long, distorted shadows across the empty courtyard, signaling the end of the workday.

### 2. losing strength

verb · CEFR B2

losing power, health, or importance.

For teachers: the gradual diminishment of physical strength, health, or social influence.

- The runner's energy was fading during the final mile of the race.
- Despite the initial excitement, public interest in the scandal was fading rapidly as newer headlines dominated the news cycle.

### 3. gradual diminishment

noun · CEFR B2

the slow process of something disappearing or getting weaker.

For teachers: the process or instance of gradual disappearance or loss of intensity.

- The fading of the old traditions worried the village elders.
- The gradual fading of the fresco was attributed to centuries of exposure to humidity and direct sunlight.

### 4. song refrain

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic

the repeated part or ending of an old song.

For teachers: the burden or refrain of a song; historically used to refer to the concluding part of a musical piece.

- The old ballad ended with a melancholy fading that the audience hummed along to.
- Scholars of Elizabethan music often debate the specific rhythmic structure of the fading used in traditional Irish folk songs.

## Examples

- The old photograph is fading because of the sunlight.
- The blue curtains are fading after years of hanging in the bright south-facing window.
- As the sun dipped below the horizon, the vibrant oranges and pinks began fading into a deep, uniform indigo that signaled the arrival of night.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.