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fade away

B1 neutral inseparable intransitive
In simple words

To slowly get smaller, quieter, or weaker until you can barely see or hear it anymore.

Literal meaning: To lose colour and move further away until invisible.

Meanings

1 B1 neutral

For a sound, image, or light to gradually become quieter, dimmer, or less visible until almost or completely gone.

"The music faded away as the car drove further down the road."

"Old soldiers never die; they just fade away."

— General Douglas MacArthur, farewell address to Congress, 1951
Grammar: inseparable
2 B1 idiomatic neutral

For a feeling, memory, or phenomenon to gradually become weaker or less important over time.

"Her enthusiasm for the project faded away after weeks of setbacks."

Grammar: inseparable
3 B2 idiomatic neutral

For a person to gradually lose physical strength or health.

"In his final months, he faded away until he was barely recognizable."

Grammar: inseparable
Usage notes

Used for sounds, images, memories, feelings, physical strength, and cultural phenomena. Carries a slightly melancholy or wistful tone. Also appears in the expression 'old soldiers never die, they just fade away.' Common in both literary and everyday contexts.

Commonly used with

memory sound hope light strength dream

Forms

Base
fade away
I/you/we/they
3rd person
fades away
he/she/it
Past simple
faded away
yesterday
Past participle
faded away
have + pp
-ing form
fading away
continuous

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