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
Hazlitt, 3 Dec. 2025
Additionally, over his last three games, Rodgers himself has begun to show signs of regressing.
—Mike Defabo, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
Even before the Spurs became the fifth Denver opponent to make more than 15 threes this season, Adelman was already alert to the fact that his team’s defense was regressing.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 29 Nov. 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
Their debut album, Forever, sounds like temporarily regressing to your childhood self while tripping—a kind of gleaming innocence desperately fending off the darkness of adulthood lurking at the periphery.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
Of that group, Paul, Gordon and Washington have been very good, and Phillips showed promise the first two weeks before regressing against Buffalo.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2025
When Wilson was regressing into drugs and obesity, Landy was rehired six years later, the outlet shared.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Verb
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
Additionally, over his last three games, Rodgers himself has begun to show signs of regressing.
—Mike Defabo, New York Times, 1 Dec. 2025
Even before the Spurs became the fifth Denver opponent to make more than 15 threes this season, Adelman was already alert to the fact that his team’s defense was regressing.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 29 Nov. 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
Their debut album, Forever, sounds like temporarily regressing to your childhood self while tripping—a kind of gleaming innocence desperately fending off the darkness of adulthood lurking at the periphery.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 6 Nov. 2025
Of that group, Paul, Gordon and Washington have been very good, and Phillips showed promise the first two weeks before regressing against Buffalo.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2025
When Wilson was regressing into drugs and obesity, Landy was rehired six years later, the outlet shared.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regressing
Verb
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Given that context, HD may offer a favorable risk-reward setup for a mean-reverting bounce.—
Frank Cappelleri,
CNBC,
8 Oct. 2025
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But after the last-minute rule change, reverting back to 120, the 49ers were able to get to 109, leaving 11 spots on the table.—
Hunter Bailey,
Charlotte Observer,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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For now, all that can be said for certain, judging by the latest implosion in his current employers West Ham’s fast-deteriorating season, is that nobody has benefited from his falling-out with Edu and the sequence of events that brought about Nuno’s exit from the City Ground.—
Daniel Taylor,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Iran has been racked by protests over the past several days around deteriorating economic conditions in the country, made worse by a growing water crisis and severe sanctions against Tehran.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
2 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Senior 6-9 forward Malik Dia, who scored 19 points with eight rebounds that day against the Razorbacks, is the team's sole returning starter.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
7 Jan. 2026
-
The suspects appeared to grab entire racks of puffer jackets and sweatshirts before returning outside.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The next year, there was a nearly 10 percent rise in homelessness in the city, worsening an already difficult situation.—
Saumya Roy,
The Dial,
6 Jan. 2026
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Hurricane Milton also opened Milton Pass, slicing Stump Pass Beach State Park in half and destabilizing nearby barrier islands, which could lead to worsening beach erosion.—
Jack Prator,
The Orlando Sentinel,
5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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That's when a 51-year-old woman driving a Tesla south on Highway 85 struck the Focus, causing both cars to spin and crash into a stopped semi-truck.—
Austen Erblat,
CBS News,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The ensuing 2022-23 season saw Rayo beat both Barca and Madrid when Spain’s big two came to their crumbling Estadio Vallecas.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
9 Nov. 2025
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Frank’s crew rolls into the crumbling squat that is Colombian HQ, sporting body armor and flamethrowers.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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According to the company, the declining profits stemmed from low drug reimbursement rates and slow retail sales.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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After all, there are signs that the economy is improving (unemployment and inflation are declining), but after the economic struggles of recent years, and with household debt still high, an additional financing source won't hurt, either.—
Matt Richardson,
CBS News,
9 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
Cite this Entry
“Regressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regressing. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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