regressive

adjective re·gres·sive \ ri-ˈgre-siv \

|Updated on: 7 Jun 2018

Definition of regressive

1 : tending to regress or produce regression

2 : being, characterized by, or developing in the course of an evolutionary process involving increasing simplification of bodily structure

3 : decreasing in rate as the base increases

a regressive tax

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regressively

adverb

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regressiveness

noun

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regressivity

play \ˌrē-ˌgre-ˈsi-və-tē\ noun

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Recent Examples of regressive from the Web

And, considering the amount of gasoline that trucks and SUVs burn, that is not a good trend — especially when combined with the regressive policies of the present administration in Washington.

— dan rodricks, baltimoresun.com, "Hard to find the Chevy Bolt in heavy traffic," 15 May 2018
In the midst of the long regressive period between the end of Reconstruction and the dawn of the modern civil-rights movement, W. E. B. Du Bois considered the estrangement and prejudice African Americans faced in an 1897 article for The Atlantic.

— annika neklason, The Atlantic, "Animating the Atlantic Archives," 2 May 2018
Instead, younger Reds had come to accept such mediocre performances as part and parcel of being a Liverpool fan - that being the regressive attitude inherited from the Roy Hodgson era at Anfield.

— SI.com, "Back From the Brink: How Liverpool Recovered From the Cusp of Mid-Table Mediocrity Under Roy Hodgson," 24 Apr. 2018
But in its other proposals Rice’s group had little problem playing with hypotheticals, even where largely irrelevant or regressive.

— dan greene, SI.com, "Rice Commission's Recommendations Miss the Point of College Basketball's Real Problems," 25 Apr. 2018
The property tax system in this state is regressive.

— jessica lee, The Seattle Times, "‘Playing field isn’t equal’: Here’s what readers say about Washington state’s rising property-tax hikes," 6 Apr. 2018
The decision represents one of the Trump Administration’s most aggressively regressive moves yet on climate change.

— justin worland, Time, "Scott Pruitt's Rollback of Emissions Standards Is a Big Deal. Here's Why the Rollout Fell Flat," 5 Apr. 2018
Tariffs are regressive, leaving American consumers, workers, and businesses bearing the costs of higher prices.

— roger showley, sandiegouniontribune.com, "A trade war a good thing for U.S.?," 30 Mar. 2018
There is too much going on in this world to be regressive.

— amy mackelden, Harper's BAZAAR, "'Stranger Things' Creators Respond to Verbal Abuse Allegations Against Them," 12 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'regressive.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of regressive

1634

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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Medical Dictionary

regressive

adjective re·gres·sive \ ri-ˈgres-iv \

medical Definition of regressive

: relating to, resulting from, producing, or characterized by regression

regressive behavior

regressive tissue changes

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See words that rhyme with regressive Spanish Central: Translation of regressive Nglish: Translation of regressive for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of regressive for Arabic speakers

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Definition of regressive

regressively

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regressive

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