retrogress

UK: /ˌrɛtrəʊˈɡrɛs/

US: /ˌrɛtrəˈgrɛs, ˈrɛtrəˌgrɛs/

US: (re′trə gres′, re′trə gres′)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

ret•ro•gress /ˌrɛtrəˈgrɛs, ˈrɛtrəˌgrɛs/   v. [no object]

1. Psychiatry to go backward:
   Society retrogressed as learning stagnated.

ret•ro•gres•sion /ˌrɛtrəˈgrɛʃən/  n. [uncountable] See -gress-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

ret•ro•gress  (re′trə gres′, re′trə gres′), v.i. 

1. Psychiatry to go backward into an earlier and usually worse condition:
   to retrogress to infantilism.
2. to move backward.

• Latin retrōgressus past participle of retrōgradī to go back or backward, equivalent. to retrō- retro- + gred-, combining form of gradī to step, go (see grade) + -tus past participle suffix, with dtss
• 1810–20

Synonyms

• 1. decline, degenerate, retrograde, withdraw, retreat, revert.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

retrogress / ˌrɛtrəʊˈɡrɛs/ verb (intransitive)

1. to go back to an earlier, esp worse, condition; degenerate or deteriorate
2. to move backwards; recede

Etymology: 19th Century: from Latin retrōgressus having moved backwards, from retrōgradī; see retrograde

ˌretroˈgression noun

ˌretroˈgressive adjective

ˌretroˈgressively adverb