Say this
"A short crew cut, a bit of length on top, with a soft taper through the temples — natural, not pushed back."

Men's haircut preview
Yes — a short crew cut is one of the most reliable cuts for a receding hairline. Keeping the hair short reduces the contrast between hair and skin, so the recession is far less obvious than with longer styles that draw a hard line. A little length on top and a soft fade through the temples keeps it natural. Here's the version to ask for.
Before
AfterA styling preview, not medical advice. For anything about hair loss itself, see a clinician.
The version that works
Where it goes wrong
What to ask your barber
"A short crew cut, a bit of length on top, with a soft taper through the temples — natural, not pushed back."
A preview is a direction for the barber, not a guarantee — but it beats pointing at a stranger with different hair.
A bad fade is £25 and three weeks growing it out. A preview is about a quid.
See a crew cut on my faceRead first
Same cut, other faces & hair
Related checks