retrogress

verb

ˌre-trə-ˈgres How to pronounce retrogress (audio)
Definition of retrogressnext
as in to revert
to go back to a previous and usually lower state or level the quality of research at the university lab has begun to retrogress since the massive budget cuts went into effect

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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 retrogress This annual limit, and the intense global demand has created significant back logs, particularly for applicants from India and China, whose EB-2 priority dates have continually retrogressed. — Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 3 Jan. 2026 After the 1960s, after the switch in—the shift in the strategy to gaining political clout, a lot of those trends stalled, slowed, even retrogressed. — WSJ, 3 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retrogress
  1. revert
  2. return
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
  • Stock Chart IconStock chart icon Marathon Petroleum, YTD Cyclical (or mean reverting) businesses look cheapest at the top as P/Es fall on record earnings.
    — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of revert
Verb
  • 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
  • Day turns to night, and then day again, but John doesn’t move until Linney returns.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of return

Browse Nearby Words

retrograding
retrogress
retrogressed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Retrogress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retrogress. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of dissonant

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All