1
as in reverting
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deteriorating
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of regressing
Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
This shifts hair follicles from regressing into active growth.
—Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 28 May 2026
Rafa Leao and Christian Pulisic were unsustainably clinical in the first half of the season, before regressing to the mean in a side bereft of chance creation in the second half of the campaign.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 12 May 2026
And when Varley returns to Portia after a stint with the manipulative and tempestuous Lady Penwood (Katie Leung), that’s not Bridgerton simply regressing to a status quo.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
Spoelstra’s latest challenge to Ware came in mid-January, calling him out for regressing after his strong November stretch.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
Teachers at Sophia’s school told her parents that her reading skills were regressing, prompting them to order her glasses and schedule what seemed like routine tests.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026
In the face of that reality—the death, functionally, of the American dream—millennials, Gen Zers and Gen Alphaers have started fantasizing about the abolition of money, of technology, of progress entirely, to the point of dreaming about regressing away from humanity itself.
—Hazlitt, 3 Dec. 2025
With this loss, Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes dropped to 3-9 on the season — significantly regressing compared to last year's 9-4 finish.
—Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
Verb
While the Colombia of 2026 is nowhere near as deadly as the Colombia of the 1990s, when the FARC was ruling over swaths of the country, the South American nation is nevertheless regressing in terms of security.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 2 June 2026
This shifts hair follicles from regressing into active growth.
—Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 28 May 2026
Rafa Leao and Christian Pulisic were unsustainably clinical in the first half of the season, before regressing to the mean in a side bereft of chance creation in the second half of the campaign.
—James Horncastle, New York Times, 12 May 2026
And when Varley returns to Portia after a stint with the manipulative and tempestuous Lady Penwood (Katie Leung), that’s not Bridgerton simply regressing to a status quo.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026
Spoelstra’s latest challenge to Ware came in mid-January, calling him out for regressing after his strong November stretch.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
Teachers at Sophia’s school told her parents that her reading skills were regressing, prompting them to order her glasses and schedule what seemed like routine tests.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 17 Jan. 2026
In the face of that reality—the death, functionally, of the American dream—millennials, Gen Zers and Gen Alphaers have started fantasizing about the abolition of money, of technology, of progress entirely, to the point of dreaming about regressing away from humanity itself.
—Hazlitt, 3 Dec. 2025
With this loss, Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes dropped to 3-9 on the season — significantly regressing compared to last year's 9-4 finish.
—Matt Audilet, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regressing
Adjective
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Three other vehicles with human drivers then appeared to illegally pass the stopped bus.—
Keri Heath,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The truck crossed into the eastbound lane and crashed into the stopped Kia, striking the three pedestrians, CHP said.—
Aidin Vaziri,
San Francisco Chronicle,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The state is reverting some districts to older lines that are more favorable to Republicans.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
20 May 2026
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The ruling effectively overturned the city’s ordinance, reverting the election to November 2025.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
14 May 2026
Verb
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The track shouldn’t do that The problem was a new patch of tarmac that apparently wasn’t up to scratch and started deteriorating under the cars’ tires.—
Jonathan M. Gitlin,
ArsTechnica,
8 June 2026
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Yet many investors and strategists say foreign selling has less to do with deteriorating fundamentals and more to do with the market's own success.—
Sean Conlon,Joseph Wilkins,Tanaya Macheel,Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
7 June 2026
Verb
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The follicular phase, days 6 through 14, brings rising estrogen, returning energy and what some research points to as a peak cognition window.—
Allison Palmer
Updated June 13,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 June 2026
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Eighty years later, Novak and her cousins are still here—some living in the area as full-time residents, others returning for the summer.—
Katherine Lawless,
Travel + Leisure,
13 June 2026
Verb
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Simsbury residents have reacted with widespread opposition, largely based on concerns about overdevelopment, worsening traffic, a costly spike in school enrollments and unwelcome change to what traditionally has been a semi-rural town.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
11 June 2026
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At the same time, the National divide over slavery was worsening.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
Verb
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If the grout is crumbling, cracked, or permanently discolored, replacing it may be the best solution.—
Jamie Cuccinelli,
Martha Stewart,
10 June 2026
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In the background, in the doorway of a crumbling stone building, stands a tiny, faceless figure, her arms held neatly behind her back.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Underlying the debate is an intense competition for public school students, which has become an existential threat in an era of sharply declining enrollment, especially given the reality that school districts are funded based on enrollment.—
Howard Blume,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
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More than a moral issue, the case risks a reputational crisis that could lead to declining sales, stock volatility, leadership instability and long-term damage to shareholder value, the organizations wrote.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
11 June 2026
Verb
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But there was something regal about a president descending those steps, or waving from the top of them, on foreign soil.—
Ian Bogost,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
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Ingredients are listed in descending order, meaning the first few ingredients make up the largest share of the food.—
Amy Brownstein,
Verywell Health,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Regressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regressing. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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