1
as in to revert
to go back to a previous and usually lower state or level
in extreme circumstances, people sometimes regress to the behavior they exhibited in childhood
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
the annual celebration has regressed to the point where it's nothing more than an excuse to get drunk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in regression
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of regress
Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 16 Dec. 2025
Bears fans are likely hoping the team hasn't regressed after finding the confidence to secure some thrilling, and often close, wins in their previous games this season.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2025
Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Whether the Commanders can catch the Eagles already likely depends on whether Daniels builds on his rookie season or hits a sophomore slump and regresses after Washington was the best fourth-down team in history last season.
—David Wilson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regress
Verb
Why has Tagovailoa regressed so much?
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 16 Dec. 2025
Bears fans are likely hoping the team hasn't regressed after finding the confidence to secure some thrilling, and often close, wins in their previous games this season.
—Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Dec. 2025
Noun
The situation changes as firms transition from traditional management to the value creating mode, or alternatively, regress backwards.
—Steve Denning, Forbes.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Whether the Commanders can catch the Eagles already likely depends on whether Daniels builds on his rookie season or hits a sophomore slump and regresses after Washington was the best fourth-down team in history last season.
—David Wilson, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regress
Verb
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That move is historically overextended and is likely to revert closer to the mean.—
Jay Woods,
CNBC,
16 Dec. 2025
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But Reiner said Shearer eventually realized that the movie’s stars hadn’t actually made that much money from the movie, and Shearer eventually got the rights to revert back to the creators.—
Victoria Edel,
PEOPLE,
15 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The price of gold, long understood to be the investor’s refuge against a deteriorating dollar, is sounding an alarm.—
Bruce Yandle,
Twin Cities,
9 Jan. 2026
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When those conditions are absent, performance deteriorates quickly.—
Katerin Le Folcalvez,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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One of the reasons for their regression was Monken’s unit also regressed.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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Signs of Tagovailoa’s regression began to show in 2025.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Barton will have to wait another month to receive his sentence for the six guilty counts the jury returned on charges of sending a grossly offensive electronic communication with intent to cause distress or anxiety to football broadcasters Eni Aluko and Lucy Ward, and TV and radio host Jeremy Vine.—
Greg O'Keeffe,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Thomas returned the ball 10 yards to the Syracuse 23-yard line.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Their fate worsened when star striker Barbra Banda, who was crowned NWSL Championship MVP last year, was injured during a mid-August match, ending her season.—
Tamerra Griffin,
New York Times,
8 Nov. 2025
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Esperance, the human-rights advocate who once opposed a foreign intervention and has since changed his mind as the gang violence worsens, said any election held now would in effect turn the country over to the gangs.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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When asked about its plans, McDonald's declined to comment to Fox News Digital.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
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Due to ongoing litigation, the airline declined to comment further.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The trail stays level early on and crosses the road a couple of times before descending through a grove of Arizona cypress to a shallow drainage.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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The Senate’s negotiations on reopening the government are descending into another impasse.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Along with everything else, Johnson sought to erase the Murphy’s Law mentality of a team that always seemed to find ways to crumble in big moments.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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McKnight was temporarily living in a crumbling budget hotel nearby.—
Saumya Roy,
The Dial,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Regress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regress. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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