retrograde

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

|Updated on: 13 Jul 2018

Examples: retrograde in a Sentence

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

Martina Navratilova—a woman who speaks with authority rivaled by few and one who hardly holds retrograde views on matters of gender—has a thought-provoking theory.

— jon wertheim, SI.com, "Five Thoughts From Day Five at Wimbledon," 6 July 2018
With a lifelong focus on draftsmanship, which also included astonishing achievements in printmaking, White was a radical progressive with a retrograde talent.

— james panero, WSJ, "‘Charles White: A Retrospective’ Review: Shimmering Black History Brought to Life," 27 June 2018
Photo: Getty Images Another day, another planet goes retrograde and flips some formerly peaceful part of our lives upside down.

— refinery29.com, "Mars Retrograde Could Hit The Brakes On Your Summer Plans," 25 June 2018
The key cosmic players are the Full Moon in Capricorn and Mars in Aquarius, which begins its summer-long retrograde motion through the trenches.

— bess matassa, Teen Vogue, "Weekly Horoscopes June 25-July 1," 23 June 2018
For most of July and August though, Mars will be retrograde in your love sector and a few sext from the ex may follow.

— rebecca gordon, Harper's BAZAAR, "How to Find Summer Romance According to the Stars," 21 June 2018
Racial politics and the disaster of Vlade Divac as Kings GM aside, the NBA draft is among the most retrograde labor practices in American life, period.

— will leitch, Daily Intelligencer, "The NBA Draft Is Great. It’s Also Totally Un-American.," 20 June 2018
Are the majority of us this retrograde in our definition of what's expected in a relationship?

— the editors of gq, GQ, "What 1,147 Men Think About #MeToo: A Glamour x GQ Survey," 30 May 2018
Mars slows down during retrograde, prompting reflection rather than quick action.

— aliza kelly faragher, Allure, "What June's Scorpio Horoscope Means for You," 29 May 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

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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

retrograded; retrograding; retrogrades

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

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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