regressive

adjective

re·​gres·​sive ri-ˈgre-siv 

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

regressively adverb

regressiveness noun

regressivity

ˌrē-ˌgre-ˈsi-və-tē 

noun

Examples of regressive in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Only then will folks like me want to vote for this regressive tax. —Steve Glazer, Mercury News, 30 Mar. 2026

And sources of public funding can be brutally regressive, derived from taxes on items like lottery tickets, which are bought disproportionately by the poor. —Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 29 Mar. 2026

There is a reasonable argument to be made that nostalgia, particularly current decisions informed by nostalgia, are by their nature regressive and should be discouraged. —Nick Miller, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026

High costs and low ridership have pushed the transit authority to threaten major service cuts – unless wary voters approve a regressive tax hike in November. —Editorial Board, Washington Post, 14 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1634, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for regressive

• aggressive
• compressive
• concessive
• depressive
• excessive
• expressive
• impressive
• obsessive
• oppressive
• possessive
• progressive
• recessive

Kids Definition

regressive

adjective

re·​gres·​sive ri-ˈgres-iv 

1

: of, relating to, or tending toward regression

2

: gradually decreasing

a regressive tax

Medical Definition

regressive

adjective

re·​gres·​sive ri-ˈgres-iv 

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

regressive behavior

regressive tissue changes