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
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
After two straight games of dominant offense and pitching, both sides regressed in a 5-1 loss Sunday.
—
Danielle Allentuck,
Washington Post,
7 June 2026
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
14 Jan. 2026
The clue has been replaced by the data-trace; the villain by the algorithmic network; the crime by the infinite regress of surveillance itself.
—
Literary Hub,
10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regress
Verb
In 2025, Legette regressed statistically.
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Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
9 June 2026
After two straight games of dominant offense and pitching, both sides regressed in a 5-1 loss Sunday.
—
Danielle Allentuck,
Washington Post,
7 June 2026
Noun
Without Hart, the Knicks regress.
—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
14 Jan. 2026
The clue has been replaced by the data-trace; the villain by the algorithmic network; the crime by the infinite regress of surveillance itself.
—
Literary Hub,
10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regress
Verb
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This can sometimes take months and requires keeping up with soil amendments so the plant doesn't revert back to its old hue.
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As light can selectively target the fluid, scientists were able to print microscopic conductive patterns that completely vanish once exposed to open air, which reverts the gel back into non-conductive liquid clusters.
Verb
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For the decades after the historic Old Soldiers’ Home was shut down in the 1970s, the two-thirds of the campus north of Wilshire Boulevard remained a collection of vacant deteriorating buildings and residential programs for physical and mental health recovery.
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However, the strategy itself has been flawed, often prioritizing roads in excellent condition while allowing moderately deteriorating streets to fail completely.
Noun
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But viewing Nix as a reason for regression?
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There are nuanced explanations available which acknowledge injury, regression and Ehlers’ departure.
Verb
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Heft, who first joined KCRA as an intern in June 2018 and returned in June 2021, said the move brings her within about a two-hour drive of family.
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Officers returned gunfire, killing the suspect, whose name and age have not been released.
Verb
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On top of the usual risks that come with surgery, a botched revision can mean permanent scarring, loss of nasal support, worsened breathing, or a result that's structurally too compromised to correct again.
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Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that worsens over time and occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred, according to Mayo Clinic.
Verb
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With only a week of freedom under his belt, Cribbs said Powell is declining interviews for now, reentering the world with some trepidation.
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The Padres declined comment for this column.
Verb
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Visitors descend 168 steps to a spectacular view of Sable Falls’ 75-foot cascade.
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Hundreds of people descended on 52nd Street in West Philadelphia Sunday for the city's annual Juneteenth Parade.
Verb
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Yet robust economic growth has proved elusive, even as government debt has climbed, leaving successive administrations with little firepower to fix a growing list of related challenges, from crumbling infrastructure to a chronic housing shortage.
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All of this was a source of ongoing friction; and the glue that held the USSR together, military might and communist ideology, had been crumbling for some time.
Cite this Entry
“Regress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regress. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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