* Literal meaning (movement backwards): The tide was receding, leaving the beach exposed.
* Figurative meaning (diminishing, fading): Her hopes of winning were receding as the competition grew tougher.
* Describing a physical feature: He noticed his hairline was receding further with each passing year.
* Describing a sound: The sound of the car engine was receding into the distance.
* Describing a landscape: The mountains receded into the horizon, their peaks disappearing in a haze.
You can also use "receding" as part of a verb phrase like "receding into the distance" or "receding into memory."