retrogressive

American  

[re-truh-gres-iv] / ˌrɛ trəˈgrɛs ɪv /

adjective

1. characterized by retrogression; degenerating.

   Synonyms:

   backward

   Antonyms:

   progressive

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Other Word Forms

• retrogressively adverb
• unretrogressive adjective
• unretrogressively adverb

Etymology

Origin of retrogressive

1795–1805; < Latin retrōgress ( us ) ( retrogress ) + -ive

Example Sentences

“When our dictionary infuses a pastime that promises joy with toxic language instead, it is retrogressive and powerfully divisive.”

From Washington Post • Oct. 15, 2021

And no doubt the Oscars will give retrogressive awards again—maybe as soon as next year, if they give Best Picture to Hillbilly Elegy over, say, Christopher Nolan’s Tenet.

From Slate • Feb. 10, 2020

His melodic ideas were were terrific but retrogressive, and he thrice broke off writing it before abandoning the work seemingly for good.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2019

The level of unapologetic conjecture I’ve encountered lately isn’t just frustrating, it’s retrogressive, unprecedented and absolutely terrifying.

From Salon • Oct. 1, 2018

After that period, though changes in the organism still continue, they are retrogressive changes, and as such might fairly be excluded from any account of development, which clearly implies progression, not retrogression.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 3 "Electrostatics" to "Engis" by Various