RETROSPECTIVE Synonyms: 42 Similar and Opposite Words

retrospective

adjective

Definition of retrospective

as in philosophical

given to or marked by reflection of the past Her book takes a retrospective look at the actor's long and distinguished career.

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Recent Examples of retrospective In past decades, only one or two very new releases might have made the cut; canonization is usually a retrospective project of sifting through the past to see what art stands the test of time. — Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026 In her later years, Parton solidified her legacy — as multimedia business titan, as a world-class entertainer, and as a brand — through a series of high-profile public appearances and retrospective projects. — Stephen L. Betts, Rolling Stone, 25 Aug. 2026 Data for prospective studies is collected in real time, while retrospective studies look back at medical records. — Amy Yurkanin, ProPublica, 24 Aug. 2026 One of the key critiques of PSR was its retrospective nature, and several sources and clubs have praised the shift to real-time under SCR. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for retrospective

Recent Examples of Synonyms for retrospective

Adjective

The original attempt to not exactly make sense, but give some kind of philosophical account of what’s going on with this measurement problem.

— Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 17 Sep. 2026
Meanwhile, Yudkowsky took such tropes of rebellion and rule-breaking and built a philosophical apparatus around them.

— Jay Caspian Kang, New Yorker, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of philosophical

Adjective

There’s something about the delicate strap detail that continues to charm fashion lovers and serves as the perfect footwear that’s both nostalgic and totally modern.

— Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 5 Sep. 2026
Allen returns as an executive producer and Pride showruns the series, which has morphed into a single-camera dramedy that blends nostalgic callbacks with Gen Z storylines about mental health, activism and threats to HBCU funding.

— Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of nostalgic

Adjective

Yet the deepest human transformations operate on a different layer of architecture—driven by adaptive, systemic processes that our analytical minds can’t fully dictate.

— Patrick Murphy, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Finally, on the IQ point, Trump is correct that a high level of analytic intelligence is necessary to regulate wisely.

— Jonathan Chait, The Atlantic, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of analytic

Adjective

The anxieties surrounding data privacy, algorithmic bias and the fundamental shift in how students learn are valid and require serious, thoughtful attention.

— Erin Mote, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Someone who reminds a likely very jaded and fickle crowd of editors, buyers, and industry observers that fashion can still be thoughtful, genuine, and most importantly, fun.

— Bianca Betancourt, CNN Money, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of thoughtful

Adjective

Anti-reflective coatings can also be incorporated where required.

— Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2026
Leaders must mediate the conversation and create an environment of true collaboration that allows for active discussion, where people are allowed to disagree in order to develop an answer based on that and reflective of the conversation.

— Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of reflective

Browse Nearby Words

retrospections

retrospective

retrospects

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“Retrospective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retrospective. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of retrospective

adjective

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