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as in retro
pleasantly reminiscent of an earlier time
the loft's retrograde decor seeks to capture the look and feel of the swinging '60s
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
the Dark Ages, the period following the fall of the Roman Empire when Western civilization seriously retrograded
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in counterclockwise
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of retrograde
Colin Bedell, Them, 20 Mar. 2025
Meanwhile, Mercury and Venus are retrograde at the top of your chart, attracting bosses, parents and authority figures from your past back into your world.
—Georgia Nicols, The Denver Post, 17 Mar. 2025
Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 June 2025
In a subplot, Paul Baker and Samir visit a pawn shop to try to sell a gun Samir doesn’t want in the house, but Paul Baker struggles to talk to the owner, who seems progressive in his actions and beliefs, and completely retrograde in his language.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for retrograde
Verb
Since Venus is currently retrograde, this isn’t your average Venus-Neptune conjunction.
—Colin Bedell, Them, 20 Mar. 2025
Meanwhile, Mercury and Venus are retrograde at the top of your chart, attracting bosses, parents and authority figures from your past back into your world.
—Georgia Nicols, The Denver Post, 17 Mar. 2025
Adverb
Venus retrograde moving into your sign on the 27th may bring past connections or unresolved emotions back into focus.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 June 2025
In a subplot, Paul Baker and Samir visit a pawn shop to try to sell a gun Samir doesn’t want in the house, but Paul Baker struggles to talk to the owner, who seems progressive in his actions and beliefs, and completely retrograde in his language.
—Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 27 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for retrograde
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retrograde
Adjective
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This backward pull can feel like nostalgia — comforting, but also quietly painful.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
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The economy will not thrive on backward, barbarian technologies and our babies will suffer from the burden of debt, bad air and blackouts.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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With Low Life, the streamer appears to be leaning into retro noir stylings and anti-hero dynamics, aiming to replicate the international appeal of Big Bet and Narco-Saints.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
26 June 2025
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Amid all the showmanship on Thursday, hosted by a faux Austin Powers, there will be retro music and dancing.—
Ben Crandell,
Sun Sentinel,
25 June 2025
Verb
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The Astros traded Pressly as a pure salary dump, influenced in part by his deteriorating relationship with general manager Dana Brown.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
28 June 2025
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Kenya’s deteriorating economy — youth unemployment stands at 67% — has turned the country into a tinderbox: Yesterday’s protests were preceded by violent demonstrations against the killing of a blogger while in police custody, leaving many seeking answers.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
27 June 2025
Adverb
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The impact caused the bus to flip counterclockwise and do a complete rotation before landing upright.—
Skye Seipp,
Austin American-Statesman,
4 Apr. 2024
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While one set of dancers move clockwise, another dances counterclockwise, resulting in a moving pattern of vibrant colors.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
2 May 2025
Adjective
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Julianne Jordan supervised the recording, and David Newman — whose family roots go back to 1930s Hollywood and who specializes in vintage film music restoration and bygone performance techniques — conducted.—
Tim Greiving,
HollywoodReporter,
25 June 2025
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My kitchen went unused, but the Marcel Breuer chairs around the table are an homage to modernism, and Yellow Ware mixing bowls, to vintage New England.—
Marcia DeSanctis,
Travel + Leisure,
20 June 2025
Verb
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Hours earlier, another Pride celebration at Washing Square Park descended into chaos after a false report of gunfire and an individual deploying bear spray into a crowd sparked a stampede of people running for their lives.—
Bradford Betz,
FOXNews.com,
30 June 2025
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The New Shepard rocket, the company's fully reusable and fully autonomous spacecraft, separated from the capsule and returned to Earth ahead of the astronauts, safely descending and touching down on a landing pad not far from the launch site.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
29 June 2025
Adjective
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Walking inside, you’re met with period details that anchor the home in its early 20th-century roots: antique doors, wrought iron railings, hardwood floors, and lofty ceilings create a warm, timeless atmosphere.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
30 June 2025
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Her aunt doesn’t have time to take her sightseeing, her cousin Céline is cool and dismissive, and her grandmother, who runs an antique shop, is distraught when a precious family heirloom—a drawing by Matisse—goes missing.—
Caroline Carlson
June 30,
Literary Hub,
30 June 2025
Verb
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LeBron James already opted in to a $52.6 million deal with the Lakers for next season, the Rockets traded for Durant and the Los Angeles Clippers saw James Harden decline his option in return for a new deal and a raise.—
Tim Reynolds,
Chicago Tribune,
1 July 2025
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Three players ultimately declined to participate this time around: Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas and Barry Bonds.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
30 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Retrograde.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retrograde. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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