regress

regress

verb

Definition of REGRESS

1

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>

Synonyms retrogress, return, revert

Related Words backslide, lapse, relapse; throw back; ebb; decline, degenerate, drop, fall, retrograde, worsen

Near Antonyms grow, mature, ripen

Antonyms advance, develop, evolve, progress

2

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>

Synonyms atrophy, crumble, decay, decline, degenerate, descend, devolve, ebb, regress, retrograde, rot, sink, worsen

Related Words abate, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, recede, wane; break down, corrupt, decompose, degrade, dilapidate, disintegrate, molder, putrefy; sour, spoil; lessen, lower, reduce; debilitate, undermine; droop, fail, fall, flag, lag, languish, run down, sag, slip, waste (away), weaken, wilt

Near Antonyms better, upgrade; enhance, enrich, fortify, heighten, intensify, strengthen; advance, develop, march, proceed, progress

Antonyms ameliorate, improve, meliorate