retroactive

[ re-troh-ak-tiv ]

/ ˌrɛ troʊˈæk tɪv /

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See synonyms for retroactive on Thesaurus.com

Definition of retroactive

adjective

operative with respect to past occurrences, as a statute; retrospective: a retroactive law.

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

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Origin of retroactive

First recorded in 1605–15; retro- + active

OTHER WORDS FROM retroactive

ret·ro·ac·tive·ly, adverbret·ro·ac·tiv·i·ty, nounnon·ret·ro·ac·tive, adjectivenon·ret·ro·ac·tiv·i·ty, noun

un·ret·ro·ac·tive, adjective

Words nearby retroactive

retrieve, retriever, retro, retroact, retroaction, retroactive, retroactive inhibition, retroactively, retrobulbar, retrocede, retrocessionaire

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use retroactive in a sentence

The House has passed two bills allowing the workers a presumption that their illness from the coronavirus was work-related if they dealt directly with infected people, and made the benefit retroactive to the beginning of the pandemic last March.
Virginia House and Senate negotiators agree on budget featuring raises for teachers, state employees|Gregory S. Schneider|February 25, 2021|Washington Post
Such changes rarely happen quickly, but changes to tax law have sometimes been retroactive to the beginning of the year in which they’re enacted.
Was Bob Dylan’s sale of his massive music catalog a tax maneuver?|Geoffrey Colvin|December 8, 2020|Fortune
One significant outstanding question facing lawmakers is whether the unemployment benefits will be made retroactive to cover prior months when jobless benefits were not being paid.
What’s in the $908 billion economic relief proposal|Jeff Stein|December 3, 2020|Washington Post
When questioning Bélanger, he wondered how the requirement for a unanimous conviction must be retroactive, when the court’s decision about the need for a jury trial in some cases was not.
Supreme Court weighs whether its ruling requiring unanimous juries should be applied retroactively|Robert Barnes|December 2, 2020|Washington Post

His problem with Maloney’s proposal is that it’s not retroactive, that it doesn’t force insurers to pay out for this pandemic.
Many Businesses Thought They Were Insured for a Pandemic. They Weren’t. (Ep. 437)|Stephen J. Dubner|October 29, 2020|Freakonomics
For a pair such as Viola and Perov, who have co-created work for decades, there is also precedent for retroactive co-authorship.
Why the Art World Ignores Wives|Jessica Dawson|March 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Lavalle and his three pals allegedly pocketed a cut of the retroactive lump sum ofas much as $100,000 that each claimant received.
The 9/11 Scam: New York’s Disability Disgrace|Michael Daly|January 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What this may do is reduce the retroactive awards that folks get when they finally manage to get their disability claim approved.
Obama's Budget: Has He Gone Too Far, or Not Far Enough?|Megan McArdle|April 5, 2013|DAILY BEAST
The corroboration that apparently led him to put faith in Ben-Menashe's testimony was retroactive.
Reagan's "October Surprise" is Still Getting Debunked|Noah Kristula-Green|April 26, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Despite his red-hot debate showings—and a retroactive win in Iowa—Senator Sweatervest was basically a nonfactor in Florida.
Florida Primary: Rick Santorum’s Daughter’s Illness|Michelle Cottle|February 1, 2012|DAILY BEAST
An inscription on a tomb, showing that virtues acquired by death have a retroactive effect.
The Devil's Dictionary|Ambrose Bierce
Therefore, said they, there was no question for them to consider, their powers not being retroactive.
The Boss of Wind River|David Goodger (goodger@python.org)
The matter is so generally recognised that it has a sort of retroactive effect upon the historical ideas of the masses.
The Cult of Incompetence|Emile Faguet
The claim that humanity is born saddled with this retroactive obligation requires more convincing proof than has yet been offered.
Concerning Children|Charlotte Perkins Gilman
More than once laws were passed with retroactive effect—truly one of the grossest abuses possible for a civilized Government.
The Transvaal from Within|J. P. Fitzpatrick

British Dictionary definitions for retroactive

retroactive

/ (ˌrɛtrəʊˈæktɪv) /

adjective

applying or referring to the pastretroactive legislation

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

Derived forms of retroactive

retroactively, adverbretroactiveness or retroactivity, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

retroactive

Definition of retroactive

Origin of retroactive

OTHER WORDS FROM retroactive

Words nearby retroactive

Words related to retroactive

How to use retroactive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for retroactive

Derived forms of retroactive