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.

---

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

It may recount turbulent times in history—but not retrospectively.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

Reed said the temporary ban would be applied retrospectively to crypto donations of "any amount" from today, once changes to legislation have been made.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

I applaud the SEC’s willingness to revisit its rules and to retrospectively evaluate the costs and benefits of its regulations—a practice to be admired and emulated.

From Barron's • Nov. 26, 2025

Companies like Apple and the secure messaging platform Signal have already rolled out what they believe to be post-quantum encryption keys, but they cannot be applied retrospectively to current data encrypted in the traditional way.

From BBC • Nov. 5, 2025

It shifted the blame for the rupture of the friendship onto the Hamiltonians, whom he knew Adams utterly despised, then invited Adams to align himself, at least retrospectively, with the Republican side of the debate.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis