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[feyd] /feɪd/
verb (used without object), faded, fading.
to lose brightness or vividness of color.
to become dim, as light, or lose brightness of illumination.
to lose freshness, vigor, strength, or health:
The tulips have faded.
to disappear or die gradually (often followed by away or out):
His anger faded away.
Movies, Television.
  1. to appear gradually, especially by becoming lighter (usually followed by in).
  2. to disappear gradually, especially by becoming darker (usually followed by out).
Broadcasting, Recording.
  1. to increase gradually in volume of sound, as in recording or broadcasting music, dialogue, etc. (usually followed by in).
  2. to decrease gradually in volume of sound (usually followed by out).
Football. (of an offensive back, especially a quarterback) to move back toward one's own goal line, usually with the intent to pass, after receiving the snapback from center or a hand-off or lateral pass behind the line of scrimmage (usually followed by back):
The quarterback was tackled while fading back for a pass.
(of an automotive brake) to undergo brake fade.
verb (used with object), faded, fading.
to cause to fade:
Sunshine faded the drapes.
(in dice throwing) to make a wager against (the caster).
Movies, Television.
  1. to cause (a scene) to appear gradually (usually followed by in).
  2. to cause (a scene) to disappear gradually (usually followed by out).
Broadcasting, Recording. to cause (the volume of sound) to increase or decrease gradually (usually followed by in or out).
an act or instance of fading.
Movies, Television Informal. a fade-out.
Automotive. brake fade.
Origin of fade
1275-1325; 1915-20 for def 5; Middle English faden, derivative of fade pale, dull < Anglo-French, Old French < Vulgar Latin *fatidus, for Latin fatuus fatuous
Related forms
fadable, adjective
fadedly, adverb
fadedness, noun
prefade, verb (used with object), prefaded, prefading.
unfadable, adjective
unfaded, adjective
unfading, adjective
well-faded, adjective Unabridged
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Examples from the Web for fade away
Contemporary Examples
Historical Examples
  • He had seen colonial towns spring up and fade away, and knew how the value of land increases.

    The Mandarin's Fan Fergus Hume
  • For a moment she met the big man's eyes and her fears seemed to fade away!

    The Man from Time Frank Belknap Long
  • All darkness of ignorance, of sorrow, and of sin will fade away as the night flees and ceases to be, before the rising sun.

    Expositions of Holy Scripture Alexander Maclaren
  • The musician, fascinated, feared she was about to fade away within.

    Ghetto Comedies Israel Zangwill
  • He did not look now as if he could sit down and cross his legs and fade away into thin air, like the Cheshire cat.

    Mr. Isaacs F. Marion Crawford
British Dictionary definitions for fade away


to lose or cause to lose brightness, colour, or clarity
(intransitive) to lose freshness, vigour, or youth; wither
(intransitive; usually foll by away or out) to vanish slowly; die out
  1. to decrease the brightness or volume of (a television or radio programme or film sequence) or (of a television programme, etc) to decrease in this way
  2. to decrease the volume of (a sound) in a recording system or (of a sound) to be so reduced in volume
(intransitive) (of the brakes of a vehicle) to lose power
to cause (a golf ball) to move with a controlled left-to-right trajectory or (of a golf ball) to veer gradually from left to right
the act or an instance of fading
Derived Forms
fadable, adjective
fadedness, noun
fader, noun
Word Origin
C14: from fade (adj) dull, from Old French, from Vulgar Latin fatidus (unattested), probably blend of Latin vapidusvapid + Latin fatuusfatuous
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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Word Origin and History for fade away



early 14c., "lose brightness, grow pale," from Old French fader "become weak, wilt, wither," from adj. fade "pale, weak, insipid" (12c.), probably from Vulgar Latin *fatidus, some sort of blending of Latin fatuus "silly, tasteless" + vapidus "flat, flavorless." Related: Faded; fading. As a noun, from c.1300.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Slang definitions & phrases for fade away

fade away

verb phrase

To depart, esp gradually (1820+)



  1. A white person (1970s+ Black)
  2. A black person who prefers white friends, sex partners, attitudes, etc; oreo (1970s+ Black)
  3. A hairstyle with a thick upright flat top that tapers toward the ears: Will has a fresh fade (1980s+ Black teenagers)


  1. To leave; depart: He faded to Chicago (1848+)
  2. To take one's bet; cover one's offered bet: When I saw I was faded, I rolled the dice (1890+ Crapshooting)
  3. To lose or cause to lose power and effectiveness: And I would try to fade the heat off me (1450+)
Copyright (C) 2007 by HarperCollins Publishers.
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Idioms and Phrases with fade away

fade away

see: fade out , def. 2.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
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