as in to revert
to go back to a previous and usually lower state or level
the quality of research at the university lab has begun to retrogress since the massive budget cuts went into effect
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Recent Examples of retrogress
This annual limit, and the intense global demand has created significant back logs, particularly for applicants from India and China, whose EB-2 priority dates have continually retrogressed.
—
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
3 Jan. 2026
After the 1960s, after the switch in—the shift in the strategy to gaining political clout, a lot of those trends stalled, slowed, even retrogressed.
—
WSJ,
3 July 2017
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
3 Jan. 2026
After the 1960s, after the switch in—the shift in the strategy to gaining political clout, a lot of those trends stalled, slowed, even retrogressed.
—
WSJ,
3 July 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retrogress
Verb
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This can sometimes take months and requires keeping up with soil amendments so the plant doesn't revert back to its old hue.
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As light can selectively target the fluid, scientists were able to print microscopic conductive patterns that completely vanish once exposed to open air, which reverts the gel back into non-conductive liquid clusters.
Verb
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Heft, who first joined KCRA as an intern in June 2018 and returned in June 2021, said the move brings her within about a two-hour drive of family.
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Officers returned gunfire, killing the suspect, whose name and age have not been released.
Cite this Entry
“Retrogress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retrogress. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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