1
as in to revert
to go back to a previous and usually lower state or level
in extreme circumstances, people sometimes regress to the behavior they exhibited in childhood
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
the annual celebration has regressed to the point where it's nothing more than an excuse to get drunk
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in regression
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of regress
Anne Tapp Jaksa, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2025
And there’s a lot of people telling them to regress, to be expecting women to take their last names, and to stay at home and to make lots of babies and to not ask too many questions.
—Miles Bryan, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Lara Johnson-Wheeler, Vogue, 31 May 2025
Data from McKinsey’s 2024 Women in the Workplace study shows that Black women’s promotion rates regressed to 2020 levels despite notable improvements in 2021 and 2022.
—Sughnen Yongo, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for regress
Verb
From the days when enslaved people were legally forbidden from learning to read, to the fight for desegregation in Brown v. Board of Education, to the overturning of affirmative action, schools have both reflected and shaped racial progress and regress in America.
—Anne Tapp Jaksa, Baltimore Sun, 14 Apr. 2025
And there’s a lot of people telling them to regress, to be expecting women to take their last names, and to stay at home and to make lots of babies and to not ask too many questions.
—Miles Bryan, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018
Noun
There’s something exquisitely derailing about spiraling into a plush-toy addiction while emotionally regressing at your mother’s house in Chiang Mai—jet-lagged across three time zones, spiritually bankrupt, and one herbal compress away from a full breakdown.
—Lara Johnson-Wheeler, Vogue, 31 May 2025
Data from McKinsey’s 2024 Women in the Workplace study shows that Black women’s promotion rates regressed to 2020 levels despite notable improvements in 2021 and 2022.
—Sughnen Yongo, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for regress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regress
Verb
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This summer, in particular, Swift seems to have reverted back to classic, feminine silhouettes and approachable styling after dabbling with a bit of logo-mania during the 2024-2025 football season.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
29 June 2025
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Orvis said South Carolina stood to add a lot of solar to its electrical grid with tax incentives but would have to revert back to gas once those credits go away.—
Soph Warnes,
CNN Money,
27 June 2025
Verb
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The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a flash flood emergency for Ruidoso on Tuesday, warning of rapidly deteriorating conditions and rising river levels that threatened homes and businesses.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 July 2025
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The latest example of trouble resulting from this definitional confusion comes from the deteriorating relationship between Microsoft and OpenAI.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 July 2025
Noun
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Virgin is, as its name suggests, a purposeful regression, a return to youthful possibility.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 June 2025
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Barring a regression — or a late-season surge from someone else — these two should be neck and neck.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
27 June 2025
Verb
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Recent opinion surveys in Israel suggest overwhelming approval for a deal that would end the war and return all the hostages, living and dead.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
14 July 2025
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As the Trump administration attempts to return the country to the Gilded Age, however, which for most of us will not resemble the glossy Julian Fellowes drama, Gale’s work seems again relevant.—
Deborah Williams
July 14,
Literary Hub,
14 July 2025
Verb
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This misinformation can also lead to insurance denials, distorted retirement planning, and worsened stigma.—
Jennifer Jay Palumbo,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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Most of the Corn Belt and Midwest remain drought-free, except for northern Illinois where conditions worsened, the agency said.—
Joe Edwards,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 July 2025
Verb
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Disney officials declined to comment on individual plans out of respect for all guests.—
Jasmine Mendez
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
12 July 2025
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The important storyline over those weeks is about untapped potential, not declining numbers.—
Lindsey Darvin,
Forbes.com,
12 July 2025
Verb
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Potentially Cloudy Guidance The easyJet share price could very well descend on Thursday if CEO Kenton Jarvis doesn’t reiterate his FY25 PBT guidance of roughly £700-710 million.—
John Choong,
Forbes.com,
14 July 2025
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On the morning of July 10, immigration agents descended on Glass House Farms near Camarillo and in Carpinteria – a greenhouse complex that is one of the state's largest marijuana farms.—
Savannah Kuchar,
USA Today,
14 July 2025
Verb
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Unfortunately, countless family businesses crumble—not for financial reasons, but because of missteps in preparation.—
Anatoly Iofe,
Forbes.com,
11 July 2025
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But Paxton's sizeable lead could crumble in light of his divorce proceedings.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Regress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regress. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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