as in deteriorates
to become worse or of less value
the Dark Ages, the period following the fall of the Roman Empire when Western civilization seriously retrograded
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Recent Examples of retrogrades
Then comes 11/11, the astro-numerological portal, and with it, Jupiter retrogrades into Cancer, your sector of wellness, service, and daily rituals.
—
Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 9 Nov. 2025
Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 9 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retrogrades
Verb
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Another six months of war and the negotiating position deteriorates.—
Güney Yıldız,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
-
Meetings grow tense, and communication deteriorates.—
Niurys Robaina,
Miami Herald,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Now, Drake has pulled ahead of the British singer-songwriter, who descends slightly to tenth place.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026
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Avoid morning hours when flowers are damp with dew and late evening when dew descends on the garden.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 June 2026
Verb
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And don't pulverize clay into dust—this worsens soil compaction.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
14 June 2026
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This worsens the inflammatory response to the initial infection, according to Fleming, who was not involved in the study.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
8 June 2026
Verb
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Kojima Productions declines to share more information on Kier's involvement, though filming has now properly begun with the actors on OD.—
Entertainment Weekly,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 June 2026
-
Democratic voters are more likely to vote by mail than Republicans so stand to benefit in future elections if the Supreme Court declines to get involved.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
That is the moment that everything crumbles for Rachel.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
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Loyalty, betrayal, illness and war all bear down on the group as the old order crumbles around them.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Volume 1 about a troubled pregnant woman who accepts an invite to a dinner party which degenerates into a bloody and demented nightmare.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Retrogrades.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retrogrades. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
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