as in deceleration
a usually gradual decrease in the pace or level of activity of something
scientists discovered that they could achieve the retardation of light if they shined it through a variety of substances
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Recent Examples of retardation
The Everrati's left pedal operates pads on discs in the normal fashion, but the motors also give powerful regenerative retardation when the accelerator is lifted.
—
Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 18 June 2021
The policy of retardation of submarine technology ended right after the beginning of the Anglo-German naval race (marked by the German Naval Laws of 1898 and 1900).
—chicagotribune.com, 28 July 2017
At the end Austen had psychomotor retardation and could barely move.
—Rene Chun, Los Angeles Magazine, 19 June 2017
The criteria were: episodes that last no longer than 2 months, and that do not include suicidal feelings, psychotic symptoms, psychomotor retardation, or feelings of worthlessness.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 15 Mar. 2013
Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 18 June 2021
The policy of retardation of submarine technology ended right after the beginning of the Anglo-German naval race (marked by the German Naval Laws of 1898 and 1900).
—chicagotribune.com, 28 July 2017
At the end Austen had psychomotor retardation and could barely move.
—Rene Chun, Los Angeles Magazine, 19 June 2017
The criteria were: episodes that last no longer than 2 months, and that do not include suicidal feelings, psychotic symptoms, psychomotor retardation, or feelings of worthlessness.
—Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 15 Mar. 2013
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retardation
Noun
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In its most recent quarterly results, Microsoft’s closely watched Azure cloud-computing division posted a slight deceleration in growth from the prior quarter.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Do note, though, that the airbag will activate only in frontal accidents and under certain deceleration conditions.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Patrick De Haan, a petroleum expert at GasBuddy, said prices at the pump could start dropping as soon as this weekend, although the decline could initially amount to only a few cents per gallon.—
Marissa Sulek,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
-
While not endangered, American woodcocks have experienced a population decline in recent decades.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Fears leading to a travel slowdown After news of rising airfare costs and geopolitical tensions potentially leading to security risks like sleeper cells, the shutdown's airport chaos was the nail in the coffin for Americans who are outright canceling their trips.—
Kathleen Wong,
USA Today,
6 Apr. 2026
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The slowdown of the editing rhythm is all the more noticeable because of how playful Lee and Borgli are at the top.—
Sarah Shachat,
IndieWire,
6 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Ducati says this is to avoid unintentional engagement of neutral during the last and most crucial stage of braking.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Drivers should also be prepared for sudden changes in visibility, maintain extra distance between vehicles, and avoid sudden braking or acceleration—especially on hills or sharp turns.—
Anna Skinner,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The decibel scale is logarithmic, meaning every 10 dB drop roughly halves perceived loudness – so the gap between the P-12 Business and a conventional ferry isn't a marginal improvement.—
Omar Kardoudi
April 09,
New Atlas,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The first three months of the year saw disparate trends in violence within the Chicago Police Department’s five patrol areas, records show, with a mixed bag of increases and further drops.—
Sam Charles,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Alex Bregman broke out of a 0-for-13 slump with three hits, and Javier Assad worked 5 2/3 shutout innings to lead the Chicago Cubs to a 9-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Its slump comes as investors continue to wring their hands over the possibility that AI tools like Claude Cowork might overtake Microsoft 365, which has been a major revenue driver for Microsoft.—
Liz Napolitano,
CNBC,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retardation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retardation. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
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