fade out

noun

A type of transition used in film, usually at the end of a scene, involving a fade to black from the cut.

Similar
dissolvefade away
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Meanings

nounfade out (plural fade outs)

plural fade outs

  1. broadcastingA type of transition used in film, usually at the end of a scene, involving a fade to black from the cut.
verbfade out (third-person singular simple present fades out, present participle fading out, simple past and past participle faded out)

present singular third person fades out · participle present fading out · participle past faded out · past faded out

  1. idiomaticTo slowly disappear; to wither away.
  2. idiomaticintransitiveTo sneak away.
  3. intransitivetransitivebroadcastingTo fade from a cut to black in a movie.

    Fade in and out of a daydream / Our waking life torn at the seam / I am the match / You're the gasoline

    2024, Jackie Evancho, “Behind My Eyes”, in Solla
  4. intransitivetransitiveaudioTo decrease in volume, such as at the end of a song, until there is only silence.

Synonyms & antonyms

verbgrow less and less substantial until it disappears

Similar
dissolvefade away
Broader
change stateturn
Also see
abatedissolvefade awaypeter outtail awaytail off

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 淡出
  • 淡出 (dànchū)type of transition used in movies
Esperanto fadi
  • fadito slowly disappear
Finnish häivytys, häipyä näkymättömiin
  • häivytystype of transition used in movies
  • häipyä näkymättömiinto slowly disappear
  • häivyttääto fade from a cut to black in a movie
French fondu de fermeture
  • fondu de fermeturetype of transition used in movies
German Ausblenden, ausblenden
  • Ausblendentype of transition used in movies
  • ausblendento fade from a cut to black in a movie
Māori memeha, rerehu
  • memehato slowly disappear
  • rerehuto slowly disappear
  • tāromaromato slowly disappear
  • kōriorioto slowly disappear
  • ngongoheto slowly disappear
  • tāmatemateto slowly disappear
Polish fade-out, wygaszanie
  • fade-outtype of transition used in movies
  • wygaszanietype of transition used in movies
  • zanikaćto slowly disappear
  • zaniknąćto slowly disappear
  • rozmywać sięto slowly disappear
  • rozmyć sięto slowly disappear
  • wygasaćto fade from a cut to black in a movie
  • wygasnąćto fade from a cut to black in a movie
Spanish evanescer, desvanecer
  • evanescerto slowly disappear
  • desvanecerto slowly disappear
Cite this entry
APA

fade out. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fade%20out

MLA

“fade out.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fade%20out. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “fade out,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/fade%20out.

Source: fade out on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.