faded

[ fey-did ]

adjective

1. having lost brightness, intensity, volume, etc., as of light, color, or sound:

   She was wearing a faded polyester skirt.

2. having lost freshness, vigor, strength, or health:

   Regular removal of faded flowers is often needed to keep annuals blooming.

3. having gradually disappeared or died out:

   The movie’s main theme is the resuscitation of faded love.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of fade ( def ).

Other Words From

• fad·ed·ly adverb
• fad·ed·ness noun
• un·fad·ed adjective
• well-fad·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of faded¹

fade ( def ) + -ed ²( def )

Example Sentences

In between the customers, vendors were constantly on the move, expertly moving buckets of flowers from nearby coolers onto the floor or stripping faded petals and leaves from new bunches of flowers.

From Los Angeles Times

Moore earned enthusiastic praise for her turn as Elisabeth Sparkle, a faded star who submits to a back-alley rejuvenation regime to reset her career.

From Los Angeles Times

Only as the memories faded and new generations entered the workforce did the reputation of nuclear power slowly recover.

From Los Angeles Times

The performance saw the comedian place his hands over Buswell's eyes as the room faded to black.

From BBC

Dressed in faded denim hotpants, a leopard-print bra, with a tattoo snaking up her stomach and across her chest, the 3D computer-generated image reaches out and appears to knock on the window to attract attention.

From BBC

Related Words

• run down
• seedy
• shabby
• tacky
• tattered
• threadbare
• worn