retarding

verb

present participle of retard
as in slowing
to cause to move or proceed at a less rapid pace an herbicide to retard the growth of weeds

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for retarding
  1. slowing
  2. braking
Verb
  • And normally, refineries take advantage of softer demand in the fall by slowing down for repairs.
    — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2026
  • Demining groups say that without international support, Southeast Asia’s unfinished work clearing land mines and unexploded bombs will continue to endanger communities, maiming and killing people and slowing development for years to come.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of slowing
Verb
  • How to align yourself for better braking Just like a car, your body’s braking system requires proper alignment to evenly distribute the absorption of force.
    — Dana Santas, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • Many advanced driver-assistance systems, or ADAS, can control a vehicle’s speed, braking and steering using cameras, sensors and/or mapping data.
    — Michael Wayland, CNBC, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of braking
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Cite this Entry

“Retarding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retarding. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on retarding

Nglish: Translation of retarding for Spanish Speakers

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