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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The turtle slows, more organisms attach, and the animal’s condition deteriorates.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 Mar. 2026
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The movie, out now, follows Irene (Liu), her son Joe (Lawrence Shou), whose relationship deteriorates in the wake of his schizophrenia diagnosis.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As the summer air thickens with diffused sunlight and harsh humidity, a psychological fog descends on our young protagonist.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
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And water aerobics for senior women descends into a bizarre request.—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday urged for a peaceful resolution of the Afghanistan-Pakistan dispute, warning the use of force worsens tensions and threatens regional stability.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 Mar. 2026
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At high speeds, the rotors generate significant drag, which worsens as the blades spin faster.—
David Szondy
March 09,
New Atlas,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Both trade lanes experienced 19 percent volume declines.—
Glenn Taylor,
Sourcing Journal,
9 Mar. 2026
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This comes at a fiscally dire time for Broward County Public Schools, which has lost significant revenue as school enrollment declines each year.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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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
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The song was inspired by surviving a toxic relationship, and then finding a true-hearted love that crumbles emotional walls.—
Jessica Nicholson,
Billboard,
15 Jan. 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 17 Mar. 2026.
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