retrograde

adjective ret·ro·grade \ ˈre-trə-ˌgrād \

Updated on: 18 May 2018

Definition of retrograde

1 a (1) : having or being motion in a direction contrary to that of the general motion of similar bodies and especially east to west among the stars

Saturn is retrograde for another week

(2) : having or being a direction of rotation or revolution that is clockwise as viewed from the north pole of the sky or a planet

a retrograde orbit

b : moving, occurring, or performed in a backward direction

c : occurring or performed in a direction opposite to the normal or forward direction of conduction or flow: such as

(1) : occurring along nerve cell processes toward the cell body

retrograde degeneration of nerve fibers

— compare anterograde 1a

(2) : occurring opposite to the normal direction or path of blood circulation

retrograde blood flow in veins with incompetent valves

— compare anterograde 1b

d : contrary to the normal order : inverse

2 : tending toward or resulting in a worse or previous state

3 archaic : contradictory, opposed

4 : characterized by retrogression

5 : affecting memories of a period prior to a precipitating event (such as brain injury or disease)

retrograde amnesia

— compare anterograde 2

6 : retro

retrograde fashion

—

retrogradely

adverb

See retrograde defined for English-language learners

See retrograde defined for kids

Examples of retrograde in a Sentence

a retrograde policy that would leave more people poorer than they are now
retrograde pedaling will engage the brakes on that bike

Recent Examples of retrograde from the Web

Billy Graham’s recent death inspired comments suggesting that Graham’s outlook, as well as that of his followers, was disturbingly retrograde.

— d.g. hart, WSJ, "‘Holy Humanitarians’ Review: The Gilded Age Alms Race," 29 Apr. 2018
The leading theory about how this goes awry in endometriosis is called retrograde menstruation: The endometrial tissue flows back through the fallopian tubes into the pelvic cavity.

— marie mccullough, Philly.com, "Frustrated endometriosis patients fuel surge in activism while seeking answers," 12 Apr. 2018
But naming a city street after such a retrograde on race sends a message, and a message like that matters.

— adrian walker, BostonGlobe.com, "Why renaming Yawkey Way matters," 20 Mar. 2018
On Thursday, Mercury goes retrograde, but even this can’t stop all the sweetness of these days.

— claire comstock-gay, The Cut, "Madame Clairevoyant: Horoscopes for the Week of March 19," 19 Mar. 2018
Wright's book is particularly timely given Texas' status as the canary in the coal mine for what America would look like with divisive, retrograde politicians at the helm.

— cecile richards, chicagotribune.com, "A turning point for Texas' deep-red politics?," 23 Apr. 2018
That, too, is a sobering message for these retrograde times.

— janet maslin, New York Times, "Jake Tapper’s ‘Hellfire Club’ Takes Us Back to McCarthy-Era America," 21 Apr. 2018
Below, shop 18 feel-good items to survive the retrograde funk.

— alice bell, Vogue, "18 Items to Brighten Your Mood During Mercury Retrograde," 6 Apr. 2018
There's a planetary double feature on April 15, when Mercury finally completes its retrograde (hallelujah) and the sky is graced by a new moon in Aries.

— aliza kelly faragher, Allure, "What Your Sign's April 2018 Horoscope Predictions Mean for You," 29 Mar. 2018

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

Did You Know?

Retrograde describes backwardness of one kind or another. If a country decided to go back to amputating the limbs of criminals, we might call that policy retrograde. A retrograde view of women might be one that sees them basically as housekeepers. Mars and Jupiter show retrograde (backward) motion at some stages of their orbits, though this is only because of the way we see them from the earth, not because of any real backward movement.

Origin and Etymology of retrograde

Middle English, from Latin retrogradus, from retrogradi

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

See Words from the same year

retrograde Synonyms

Other Astronomy Terms

gibbous, nadir, nebulous, penumbra, sidereal, syzygy, wane, wax, zenith

retrograde

adverb

Definition of retrograde

: backward, reversely

First Known Use of retrograde

circa 1620

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

retrograde

verb

Definition of retrograde

transitive verb

archaic : to turn back : reverse

intransitive verb

1 a : to go back : retreat

b : to go back over or recapitulate something

2 : to decline to a worse condition

Examples of retrograde in a Sentence

the Dark Ages, the period following the fall of the Roman Empire when Western civilization seriously retrograded

Recent Examples of retrograde from the Web

When Mercury is retrograde, thought and communication are less direct, more ponderous, and meandering.

— alice bell, Vogue, "18 Items to Brighten Your Mood During Mercury Retrograde," 6 Apr. 2018

Origin and Etymology of retrograde

Latin retrogradi, from retro- + gradi to go — more at grade

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1582

in the meaning defined at transitive sense

See Words from the same year

retrograde Synonyms

Synonyms

atrophy, crumble, decay, decline, degenerate, descend, deteriorate, devolve, ebb, regress, rot, sink, worsen;

Antonyms

ameliorate, improve, meliorate;

Near Antonyms

better, upgrade;

enhance, enrich, fortify, heighten, intensify, strengthen;

advance, develop, march, proceed, progress;

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;

Phrases

go to pot, go to seed (or run to seed);

RETROGRADE Defined for English Language Learners

retrograde

adjective

Definition of retrograde for English Language Learners

: returning to an earlier and usually worse state or condition
: moving backward

Medical Dictionary

retrograde

adjective ret·ro·grade \ ˈre-trə-ˌgrād \

medical Definition of retrograde

1 : characterized by retrogression

2 : affecting memories of a period prior to a precipitating event (as brain injury or disease)

In retrograde amnesia, the victim can remember only what has happened since he lost his memory; everything before that is irretrievable.
—Jean Seligmann, Newsweek, 29 Sept. 1986

— compare anterograde 1

3 : occurring or performed in a direction opposite to the normal or forward direction of conduction or flow: as

a : occurring along nerve cell processes toward the cell body

retrograde axonal transport

retrograde degeneration of nerve fibers

b : occurring opposite to the normal direction or path of blood circulation

apply bandaging to the lower extremities to produce pressure to reduce retrograde blood flow in veins with incompetent valves

— compare anterograde 2

—

retrogradely

adverb

- The ablation catheter was then inserted through the right femoral arterial sheath and advanced retrogradely into the left ventricle.
- —Warren M. Jackman, The New England Journal of Medicine, 6 June 1991