regressive
adjective
re·gres·sive
ri-ˈgre-siv 
1
: tending to regress or produce regression
2
: being, characterized by, or developing in the course of an evolutionary process involving increasing simplification of bodily structure
3
: decreasing in rate as the base increases
a regressive tax
Examples of regressive in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Some criticized the image for promoting a regressive characterization of a subservient woman.
—
Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 19 Oct. 2025
Or reform of a tax system that is complex, regressive, and inimical to growth.
—Anand Menon, Time, 18 Oct. 2025
The city’s dwindling middle and working classes blamed tech millionaires and billionaires for pricing them out of a once-vibrant city and promoting regressive policies on homelessness and criminal justice.
—Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
But a tax on short-term vacation rentals should not be lumped in with the shameful trash fees and parking charges, which are regressive taxes that hit underprivileged people the hardest.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regressive
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Paula Mejía, The Atlantic, 19 Oct. 2025
Or reform of a tax system that is complex, regressive, and inimical to growth.
—Anand Menon, Time, 18 Oct. 2025
The city’s dwindling middle and working classes blamed tech millionaires and billionaires for pricing them out of a once-vibrant city and promoting regressive policies on homelessness and criminal justice.
—Literary Hub, 15 Oct. 2025
But a tax on short-term vacation rentals should not be lumped in with the shameful trash fees and parking charges, which are regressive taxes that hit underprivileged people the hardest.
—U T Readers, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regressive
Cite this Entry
“Regressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regressive. Accessed 24 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
regressive
adjective
re·gres·sive
ri-ˈgres-iv
1
: of, relating to, or tending toward regression
2
: gradually decreasing
a regressive tax
Medical Definition
regressive
adjective
re·gres·sive
ri-ˈgres-iv
: relating to, resulting from, producing, or characterized by regression
regressive behavior
regressive tissue changes
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