REGRESSED Synonyms: 80 Similar and Opposite Words

regressed

verb

past tense of regress

as in reverted

to go back to a previous and usually lower state or level in extreme circumstances, people sometimes regress to the behavior they exhibited in childhood

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in deteriorated

to become worse or of less value the annual celebration has regressed to the point where it's nothing more than an excuse to get drunk

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of regressed Watford dropped from 13th to 17th under Walter Mazzarri, and Southampton regressed two places after replacing Ronald Koeman with Claude Puel. — Nick Miller, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026 But his recovery regressed, and he was shut down from throwing. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2026 The Yankees could also use better defense from Grisham, who has regressed in center as speedy rookie Spencer Jones, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI on Wednesday, has settled into the majors. — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 13 Aug. 2026 But this camp Ewers has seemingly regressed despite having a better understanding of the offense than Malik Willis, the free agent Miami signed to become the starting quarterback. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 7 Aug. 2026 After leading Boston College to a 7-6 record and Pinstripe Bowl appearance his first season, the Eagles regressed in 2025, finishing with a 2-10 record and ahead of only Syracuse in the ACC. — ABC News, 7 Aug. 2026 When the season ended, many suggested Love had regressed in his second season as a starter. — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 Clemson, which carried the mantle for a decade, has regressed, which doesn’t help. — Gabriel Burns, AJC.com, 15 July 2026 Duran is hitting more home runs than usual and is on pace for a second 20-20 season, but by every other metric the outfielder has regressed significantly in 2026. — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 14 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for regressed

Verb

That project was scrapped in February 2025 due to creative differences and the rights have since reverted back to Maas.

— Jennifer Maas, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
Stars such as Julia Fox and Bechtel have reverted back to their natural color after spending time with the platinum look, but keeping the shape ultra-thin.

— Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 27 July 2026

Definition of reverted

Verb

The Associated Press OSLO, Norway -- Crown Prince Haakon visited his father King Harald of Norway on Monday at the hospital, after the king's health deteriorated over the weekend, public broadcaster NRK reported.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Aug. 2026
Her defense says she was prescribed 13 medications over four months as her mental health deteriorated.

— Rebecca Cohen, NBC news, 24 Aug. 2026

Definition of deteriorated

Verb

The Huskies tacked on another touchdown when Wyatt Hatfield stepped in front of a Lowery pass and returned his interception 36 yards for a touchdown to provide the final margin.

— Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Sep. 2026
Requests for comment were sent to the Red Sox and Audacy, which owns WEEI, but were not immediately returned.

— Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of returned

Verb

Rasonque cut the risk of death by 60%, and patients went longer before their disease progressed and before pain and quality of life worsened.

— Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Authorities in Indonesia, meanwhile, are racing to control wildfires that have dramatically worsened air-quality levels even before fire season typically peaks.

— Jeronimo Gonzalez, semafor.com, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of worsened

Verb

Not long afterward, two dozen Border Patrol agents descended on Roosevelt High School as class was getting out, prompting a confrontation in which the agents deployed pepper spray and arrested four people, including a teacher.

— Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
This year, more than 4,200 shows descended on Edinburgh, with artists hailing from 74 countries.

— Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of descended

Verb

Trump has declined so far to endorse a successor, opting to keep his cards close ahead of what’s likely to be a bitter race.

— Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 29 Aug. 2026
When asked about the lack of any tributes or the evening’s plans to honor Nolan, the Ocean Springs School District declined to comment.

— Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of declined

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“Regressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regressed. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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verb

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