retroactive

American  

[re-troh-ak-tiv] / ˌrɛ troʊˈæk tɪv /

adjective

1. operative with respect to past occurrences, as a statute; retrospective.

   a retroactive law.

2. pertaining to a pay raise effective as of a past date.

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retroactive British  

/ ˌrɛtrəʊˈæktɪv /

adjective

1. applying or referring to the past

   retroactive legislation

2. effective or operative from a date or for a period in the past

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Other Word Forms

• nonretroactive adjective
• nonretroactivity noun
• retroactively adverb
• retroactiveness noun
• retroactivity noun
• unretroactive adjective

Etymology

Origin of retroactive

First recorded in 1605–15; retro- + active

Example Sentences

It attempts to fill a $1.2 billion budget hole by legalizing gambling terminals for bars and restaurants and borrowing for the likes of retroactive pay raises for firefighters.

From The Wall Street Journal

They also aim to avoid Johnson’s idea to borrow money for police settlements and a retroactive pay hike for firefighters, which they say could harm the city’s credit rating.

From The Wall Street Journal

House overwhelmingly voted to extend the program through 2027 and to provide retroactive payments to districts that lost funding while it was lapsed.

From Los Angeles Times

That’s because refunds may not be fully retroactive unless a suit has already been filed, based on past rulings in other cases.

From Barron's

Many of those breaks were designed to be retroactive and to apply to 2025 tax returns.

From MarketWatch