retrospectively

American  

[re-truh-spek-tiv-lee] / ˌrɛ trəˈspɛk tɪv li /

adverb

1. with contemplation of past situations, events, etc..

   You should examine your relationship retrospectively.

2. with retrospective effect; retroactively.

   The law operates retrospectively.

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Etymology

Origin of retrospectively

First recorded in 1600–10; retrospective ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Explanation

Doing something retrospectively means being conscious of what happened previously, or applying something new to past events. When you retrospectively comment on blog posts, you go back and comment on old articles. If you speak retrospectively, you talk about past events, and if a museum retrospectively honors an artist, it often displays work stretching back through her entire career. If your raise at work applies retrospectively, that means you'll get additional pay from days you worked in the past, as well as the future. The Latin root of retrospectively is retrospicere, "look back."

Example Sentences

Not that it lacks a plan: Retrospectively, you can trace back the breadcrumbs that led toward a conclusion, of sorts — but I can say no more.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026

Retrospectively, more and more people decided that closing schools had been a bad idea after all.

From Slate • Dec. 18, 2023

Retrospectively, researchers are just beginning to understand the toll that extreme heat has had on humans over the last couple of decades.

From Salon • Jul. 26, 2022

Retrospectively, both sides seem to think they were working for the benefit of the other.

From BBC • Dec. 14, 2017

Retrospectively: She said in answer to questions about her inactivity and difficulty in answering that she did not feel like talking, felt mixed up, could not remember well, did not want to write.

From Benign Stupors A Study of a New Manic-Depressive Reaction Type by MacCurdy, John T. (John Thompson)