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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Example Sentences
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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
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The in-flight tests yielded a substantial decline in soot and ice with 100 percent SAF.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Correction-level declines occurred in 71% of those years, versus only 44% in other years.—
Jim Edwards,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The United Nations Development Programme reports that higher energy prices, disrupted food systems, and economic slowdowns triggered by the war could push up to thirty-two million people globally into poverty.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
28 Apr. 2026
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Beijing has been somewhat insulated from the conflict’s fallout thanks to its oil stockpile and aggressive push for renewables, but experts say it could be squeezed as a result of slowdowns in its key export markets.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Drivers who enroll in the brand's SmartRide telematics program, which considers factors like braking, acceleration and driving time, will save 10% automatically, and earn a discount of up to 25% based on their habits.—
Liz Knueven,
CNBC,
22 Apr. 2026
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The Hidden Dangers of Busy Urban Intersections While freeway crashes are largely driven by congestion and sudden braking, intersections introduce a different set of risks.—
Gretchen Wittenmyer-Stone,
Sacbee.com,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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After a tough 2025 that saw revenue drop and its Woodspin joint venture with Suzano fall apart, the Finnish fiber maker has spent the past year regrouping.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
30 Apr. 2026
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With Leeds not playing in the league last weekend, and three of the other at-risk teams winning, Opta’s supercomputer has stayed strong on the current projections for those who are most likely to face the drop.—
Mark Carey,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The entire Mets lineup has been marred in an uncharacteristic slump, but in the bottom of the fourth inning on Tuesday night at Citi Field, Juan Soto uncorked a very characteristic home run.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
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Few buyers Despite seemingly noteworthy discounts, there’s a long-term slump in condo sales.—
Jonathan Lansner,
Oc Register,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retardation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retardation. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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