in retrospect

1. Looking backward, reflecting on the past. For example, In retrospect, he regarded his move as the best thing he'd ever done. This idiom employs retrospect in the sense of “a view of the past.” [Second half of 1600s]

Example Sentences

Asked about his brother's motivation for the attack, he said: "Children are very valuable to society in they are society's future. This is only a thought I have had in retrospect."

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In retrospect, that should have been expected, as the Dodgers struggled to maintain consistency on offense over a grinding six-month regular season.

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But McVay said in retrospect that those problems stemmed more from the long-range situations he put the kickers in.

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Some thought, especially in retrospect, that Ross immersed himself too deeply in micromanaging peace, that his approach tended to infantilize the region’s players and made them too dependent on outside powers.

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“And I really like to come and go as I please. But it’s funny: In retrospect, I think maybe I was chasing a relationship that was a little more traditional, even though I don’t know if I can actually be that way. So that’s a weird thing to be aware of.”

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