RETROGRADING Synonyms: 66 Similar and Opposite Words

retrograding

verb

present participle of retrograde

as in deteriorating

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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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.

Recent Examples of retrograding Among these were melodic concepts like inversion (flipping a tune), transposition (shifting it up or down scales), retrograding (reversal), and translation (movement over time). — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Feb. 2026 Mercury retrograding back into Scorpio wants to get to the bottom of your contracts. — Usa Today, USA Today, 18 Nov. 2025 And then comes the 11/11 portal, where Jupiter begins retrograding in Cancer, your sector of home, family, and emotional roots. — Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 9 Nov. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for retrograding

Verb

Due to deteriorating air quality, Philadelphia city officials suspended trash pickup and closed public pools Friday.

— Ashley Mowreader, NBC news, 17 July 2026
That creative momentum sits against a deteriorating financial picture.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 July 2026

Definition of deteriorating

Verb

Now, with a heat wave descending over much of Southern California, residents worry the odor could get even worse and scores of residents have called air quality regulators to complain.

— Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026
Guests descending into the speakeasy can look through the modern staircase to see the original structure preserved beneath it, offering a glimpse into the older bones of the building.

— Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 11 July 2026

Definition of descending

Verb

The worsening air quality means significant changes to his daily routine.

— Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 18 July 2026
The trouble with fires and climate change But Silicon Valley’s rush to deploy newer AI models has also come with considerable climate costs that are linked to a worsening wildfire problem.

— Jeremy Hsu, ArsTechnica, 17 July 2026

Definition of worsening

Verb

They’re meant to be neat, self-contained, and easy to manage without dripping, crumbling, or requiring a balancing act at a cocktail table.

— Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 19 July 2026
Manchester, meanwhile, faced enormous challenges in its comeback, from high levels of poverty and unemployment to poor education and crumbling infrastructure.

— Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 18 July 2026

Definition of crumbling

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retrogrades

retrograding

retrogress

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“Retrograding.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retrograding. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of retrograding

verb

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