unprogressive
adjective
un·pro·gres·sive
ˌən-prə-ˈgre-siv 
: not progressive
especially
: not devoted to or promoting economic, social, or political progress
Public opinion regards almost any discussion of cutting retiree benefits as inhumane, unprogressive, and even barbaric. —
Robert J. Samuelson
Robert J. Samuelson
unprogressively
adverb
Examples of unprogressive in a Sentence
a candidate with unprogressive ideas about public education
Recent Examples on the Web
Indeed, the reality for women in Germany has been remarkably unprogressive.
—Lenora Chu, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Jan. 2022
There was too much deference to people sowing chaos under the banner of social justice, perhaps for fear of seeming unprogressive.
—Nicholas Kristof, Star Tribune, 15 Apr. 2021
Greenwell juxtaposes the narrator's experiences in an unprogressive, formerly Communist country still recovering its infrastructure, to the narrator's own childhood, growing up gay and closeted in the oppressive American South.
—Angela Ledgerwood, Esquire, 5 Dec. 2016
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Lenora Chu, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 Jan. 2022
There was too much deference to people sowing chaos under the banner of social justice, perhaps for fear of seeming unprogressive.
—Nicholas Kristof, Star Tribune, 15 Apr. 2021
Greenwell juxtaposes the narrator's experiences in an unprogressive, formerly Communist country still recovering its infrastructure, to the narrator's own childhood, growing up gay and closeted in the oppressive American South.
—Angela Ledgerwood, Esquire, 5 Dec. 2016
Cite this Entry
“Unprogressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unprogressive. Accessed 3 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share