retard

¹re·tard

verb \ri-ˈtärd\

Definition of RETARD

transitive verb

1

: to slow up especially by preventing or hindering advance or accomplishment : impede

2

: to delay academic progress by failure to promote

intransitive verb

: to undergo retardation

— re·tard·er noun

Examples of RETARD

1. The chemical will retard the spread of fire.
2. The problems have retarded the progress of the program.

Origin of RETARD

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French retarder, from Latin retardare, from re- + tardus slow

First Known Use: 15th century

Related to RETARD

Synonyms: brake, decelerate, slow, slacken

Antonyms: accelerate, hasten, hurry, quicken, rush, speed (up), step up

Related Words: halt, stop; encumber, hamper, handicap, hinder, hobble, hold back, hold up, impede, inhibit, obstruct, set back, tie up; bottleneck; arrest, check, constrain, curb, rein, restrain; baffle, foil, frustrate, sabotage, thwart

Near Antonyms: drive, encourage, goad, propel, push, spur, stir, urge; advance, aid, dispatch, ease, expedite, facilitate, forward, further, help

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See Synonym Discussion at delay

Rhymes with RETARD

Asgard, backyard, barnyard, blackguard, blowhard, boatyard, bombard, boneyard, brassard, brickyard, charge card, churchyard, cloth yard, coast guard, courtyard, dance card, deeryard, die-hard, diehard, discard, dockyard, dooryard, face card, farmyard, fireguard, flash card, foulard, Fugard, Gerard, graveyard, green card, ill-starred, jacquard, junkyard, lifeguard, main yard, mansard, mass card, Midgard, milliard, mudguard, noseguard, off guard, old guard, on guard, Oxnard, phone card, Picard, placard, point guard, postcard, poularde, punch card, rear guard, rearguard, Red Guard, regard, ritard, safeguard, scorecard, shipyard, smart card, sound card, spikenard, steelyard, stockyard, switchyard, tabard, tanyard, tiltyard, time card, unbarred, unguard, vizard, wild card