fade
fade — verb
- fadepresent simple I / you / we / they
- fadeshe / she / it
- fadedpast simple
- fading-ing form
1. to slowly become less bright, strong, or clear over time, or to cause something
to slowly become less bright, strong, or clear over time, or to cause something to do this — such as colours losing their richness in sunlight, sounds growing quieter at a distance, or memories becoming less vivid as the years pass.
The blue curtains in Jude's room had faded to a pale grey after years in the sun.
transitive result: fade + to + colour
The cheers of the crowd slowly faded as the train pulled away from the station.
intransitive: sound fades with distance
Élise waited for the daylight to fade before lighting candles around the garden.
intransitive: natural light fading
Years of harsh sunlight had faded the photographs pinned to Camille's noticeboard.
transitive: weather/sunlight fades objects
That summer memory faded with time, leaving Nila only a few clear pictures.
metaphorical: memory fades with time
- fade away
- fade out
- fade into
- fade from
- fade quickly
- fade slowly
- fade with time
Grammar Patterns
something fades (intransitive)
something fades something (transitive)
fade + adverb/preposition (away, out, into, from)
Usage Note
Commonly used with adverbs of direction (away, out) and prepositions indicating transformation (to, into). The transitive form typically involves sunlight, weather, or time as the subject causing the change.
Common Mistakes
2. in golf, to intentionally hit the ball so that it follows a curving path sideway
in golf, to intentionally hit the ball so that it follows a curving path sideways through the air rather than going straight ahead, usually to navigate around obstacles or follow the shape of the hole.
Renata carefully faded the ball around the large oak tree on the left side of the fairway.
transitive: golfer fades the ball around an obstacle
Asher's tee shot faded slightly to the right and landed safely on the grass.
intransitive: the ball fades to one side
Professional players often choose to fade the ball when the hole bends around a corner.
strategic use of fade shot
Tuan adjusted his stance to produce a gentle fade and avoid the sand trap ahead.
adjusting technique to produce a fade
- fade the ball
- fade around
- fade shot
- intentional fade
Grammar Patterns
golfer fades the ball (transitive)
the ball fades (intransitive)
Usage Note
A fade is different from a slice: a fade is a controlled, intentional curve, whereas a slice is an unintentional, often problematic curve. In golf for right-handed players, a fade curves left to right.
fade away
phrasal verbTo gradually become less strong or clear until it disappears.
The sound of the train faded away in the distance.
Her smile faded away when she heard the bad news.
fade in
phrasal verbTo gradually appear or become louder, as in a film or sound.
The movie starts with music fading in slowly.
The image fades in from black at the beginning.
fade out
phrasal verbTo gradually disappear or become silent, as in a film or sound.
The song fades out at the end of the album.
The scene fades out to show the next morning.
be fading fast
idiomSomething is disappearing or ending very quickly.
The old traditions in our village are fading fast.
His memory of the accident is fading fast now.
To act in a way that avoids attention, or to disappear from notice.
After the scandal, the politician faded into the woodwork.
Maya prefers to blend into the woodwork at parties.
fade — noun
- fadesingular
- fadesplural
1. a visual effect in film or video in which the image slowly becomes less bright o
a visual effect in film or video in which the image slowly becomes less bright or clear until it disappears completely, or the picture turns a single colour such as black.
The director used a slow fade to black at the end of the final scene.
fade to black as a film technique
Joon added a gentle fade between the two clips so the transition looked smooth.
fade between clips in video editing
Old movies sometimes use a fade to white to suggest a dream sequence.
A sudden fade in the middle of the film made the audience think the projector had broken.
- fade to black
- fade to white
- slow fade
- quick fade
- fade transition
- dissolve
one image fades while another appears simultaneously; cross-fading rather than disappearing alone
- fade-in
the opposite effect where an image gradually appears
Grammar Patterns
a fade
fade to + colour (usually black or white)
Usage Note
In film production, a fade usually refers to a transition lasting one to three seconds. When the screen turns completely black, it is specifically called a 'fade to black'.
2. a recording technique in which the sound of a song or musical track becomes quie
a recording technique in which the sound of a song or musical track becomes quieter and quieter until it can no longer be heard, used to bring the piece to a close.
The song ends with a long fade that gradually becomes completely silent.
fade as an ending technique
Radio stations often use a fade to move from one song to the next without a gap.
fade used in radio broadcasting
Ziad prefers albums without a fade because he likes to hear the natural ending of each track.
The producer added a fade to the final chorus so the album would finish smoothly.
production: added fade to chorus
- long fade
- slow fade
- fade ending
- fade out
- fade-out
more specific term for the same concept; often used interchangeably
- diminuendo
a classical music term for a gradual decrease in volume, but not necessarily to silence
- fade-in
the opposite effect where sound gradually becomes audible
Grammar Patterns
a fade
fade out
Usage Note
Fades in music are common in pop and rock recordings. The length of the fade varies — some last just a few seconds, while others continue for thirty seconds or more.
3. a visual or audio effect in which an image on screen or a piece of audio gradual
a visual or audio effect in which an image on screen or a piece of audio gradually emerges from a blank or silent state, starting very faintly and becoming fully visible or audible.
The movie begins with a fade from black, revealing a quiet street in Taipei.
fade from black as an opening technique
Ayesha added a fade-in to make the title appear slowly on screen.
fade-in for titles and text
The presenter asked the technician for a slow fade-in of the background music during the opening.
fade-in: audio gradually becomes audible from silence
A gentle fade of ocean sounds sets the mood before the first scene begins.
fade-in of ambient sounds for mood
- fade-in
- fade from black
- fade from silence
- slow fade-in
- music fade
- fade-out
the opposite effect where an image or sound gradually disappears
Grammar Patterns
a fade
fade in
fade from + colour
Usage Note
When talking about sound appearing gradually, 'fade-in' is more commonly used than 'fade' alone. In video, 'fade from black' specifically means the image emerges from a completely dark screen.
4. a slow and gradual reduction in the influence, popularity, strength, or importan
a slow and gradual reduction in the influence, popularity, strength, or importance of something over a period of time.
The tradition of sending handwritten letters has seen a slow fade since email became widely available.
fade in + social tradition
Talia noticed a gradual fade in public interest for the annual flower festival.
fade in + public interest
Historians study the slow fade of old empires to understand what causes civilisations to decline.
Without new members joining, the club experienced a steady fade over several years.
fade of an organisation
- slow fade
- gradual fade
- fade in popularity
- fade of interest
- steady fade
- decline
more general and can be either fast or slow; does not specifically suggest gradual fading
- deterioration
implies a decline in quality rather than importance or popularity
Grammar Patterns
a fade in + noun (interest, popularity)
a fade of + noun
Usage Note
This sense is often used with 'slow' or 'gradual' to emphasise the gradual nature of the decline. It is less common in everyday conversation than in more formal or analytical writing.
5. a men's haircut with long hair at the crown that becomes gradually shorter down
a men's haircut with long hair at the crown that becomes gradually shorter down the sides and back, ending very short or shaved near the ears and neckline.
Jude asked the barber for a fade with extra length on top so he could style it upwards.
requesting a fade at the barbershop
Ari got a new fade for the interview and it looked clean and professional.
Fades have been one of the most popular haircut styles among young men for years.
general observation about fade popularity
The barber spent extra time blending the sides of Christopher's fade to make the transition look natural.
barber technique: blending the fade
Dario prefers a high fade where the short section starts near the top of the head.
types of fade: high fade
- get a fade
- high fade
- low fade
- mid fade
- fade haircut
- barber fade
- fade with part
Grammar Patterns
a fade
get a fade
ask for a fade
Usage Note
Fades come in different variations based on where the short part begins: 'high fade' (short starts near the top), 'mid fade' (starts around the temples), and 'low fade' (starts near the ears).
Common Mistakes
6. a shot in golf that intentionally curves sideways through the air rather than tr
a shot in golf that intentionally curves sideways through the air rather than travelling dead straight, used by players to navigate around obstacles or follow the shape of the hole.
Tariro played a controlled fade that landed perfectly in the middle of the fairway.
controlled fade as a deliberate shot
A well-executed fade is useful for navigating holes that bend to the right.
strategic use of fade on dogleg holes
Salma practised hitting a fade at the driving range until she could curve the ball consistently.
practising the fade shot
The golf instructor showed Tuan how to adjust his grip for a reliable fade.
- hit a fade
- play a fade
- controlled fade
- fade shot
- fade ball flight
Grammar Patterns
a fade
play a fade
hit a fade
Usage Note
For a right-handed golfer, a fade curves from left to right. Golfers often prefer a fade over a draw because it provides more control and stops the ball more quickly on the green.
7. a passing play in American football in which the offensive player runs straight
a passing play in American football in which the offensive player runs straight down the field for a short distance and then turns toward the sideline, usually to catch a high pass thrown into the corner of the end zone.
The quarterback threw a high fade to Owen in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.
throw a fade route for a touchdown
Nia ran a perfect fade and caught the ball just before stepping out of bounds.
runner executing a fade route
The wide receiver practised the fade pattern until he could judge the touchdown catch in his sleep.
A fade works best when the defender is smaller than the receiver and cannot reach the high pass.
tactical advantage of the fade route
- run a fade
- throw a fade
- fade route
- fade pattern
- fade to the corner
- goal line fade
- corner route
similar concept but the receiver runs at an angle toward the corner from the start rather than running straight first
Grammar Patterns
a fade
run a fade
throw a fade
Usage Note
The fade is one of several route patterns in American football. It is most commonly used near the goal line because the high throw allows the taller receiver to catch the ball above the defender.
fade — adjective
- fadepositive
- fadercomparative
- fadestsuperlative
1. lacking any interesting, exciting, or special qualities; dull, ordinary, and unr
lacking any interesting, exciting, or special qualities; dull, ordinary, and unremarkable — typically used to describe a performance, piece of writing, or creative work that fails to impress.
The critic described the sequel as a fade imitation of the original film, without any new ideas.
register: formal critical language
Léa found the decorations rather fade compared to last year's creative and colourful displays.
The hotel offered a fade selection of breakfast items that was nothing worth waking up early for.
fade + noun (selection) for unremarkable quality
The play received fade reviews, with most critics calling it forgettable.
fade + noun (reviews) for critical response
- fade imitation
- fade selection
- fade performance
- fade writing
Grammar Patterns
fade + noun
Usage Note
This adjective sense is considered old-fashioned and literary in modern English. It appears mostly in written criticism or descriptive prose rather than in everyday conversation. The more common word for this meaning today is 'bland' or 'mediocre'.
Common Mistakes
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All five words describe a reduction in intensity, but each focuses on a different aspect. 'Fade' is the broadest term, covering gradual loss of colour, brightness, sound, strength, or memory — it always implies a slow, continuous process. 'Dim' is restricted to light becoming less bright, often in a way that makes things harder to see, and can happen either gradually or suddenly. 'Dull' typically describes loss of shine, sharpness, or interest through physical wear or overuse — a blade dulls, a photo dulls with age. 'Vanish' implies complete disappearance, often abruptly or mysteriously, with none of the gradual quality that makes 'fade' distinctive. 'Wither' applies almost exclusively to living things losing vitality, like plants without water or hopes that slowly die. Example: 'The colours on the flag faded after years on the pole' (gradual, visible); 'The sun dimmed behind a cloud' (light only, quick); 'Her enthusiasm for the project withered under constant criticism' (living energy, slow death).
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'fade' entered English through Middle English 'faden', borrowed from Old French 'fader' meaning to become weak or lose colour. The Old French verb came from the adjective 'fade' (pale, weak, tasteless), which itself blended two Latin roots: 'fatuus' (foolish, insipid — also the source of 'fatuous') and 'vapidus' (flat, lifeless — also the source of 'vapid'). This dual ancestry gives 'fade' its twin associations with both visual dimming and loss of vitality. The golf sense emerged in the early 20th century, while the haircut sense became popular in the 1980s.