1
as in reverting
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in deteriorating
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of regressing
Daniel Depetris,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2026
This shifts hair follicles from regressing into active growth.
—
Deena Zaidi,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
Rafa Leao and Christian Pulisic were unsustainably clinical in the first half of the season, before regressing to the mean in a side bereft of chance creation in the second half of the campaign.
—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
And when Varley returns to Portia after a stint with the manipulative and tempestuous Lady Penwood (Katie Leung), that’s not Bridgerton simply regressing to a status quo.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
Spoelstra’s latest challenge to Ware came in mid-January, calling him out for regressing after his strong November stretch.
—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
Teachers at Sophia’s school told her parents that her reading skills were regressing, prompting them to order her glasses and schedule what seemed like routine tests.
—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
17 Jan. 2026
In the face of that reality—the death, functionally, of the American dream—millennials, Gen Zers and Gen Alphaers have started fantasizing about the abolition of money, of technology, of progress entirely, to the point of dreaming about regressing away from humanity itself.
—
Hazlitt,
3 Dec. 2025
With this loss, Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes dropped to 3-9 on the season — significantly regressing compared to last year's 9-4 finish.
—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Nov. 2025
Verb
While the Colombia of 2026 is nowhere near as deadly as the Colombia of the 1990s, when the FARC was ruling over swaths of the country, the South American nation is nevertheless regressing in terms of security.
—
Daniel Depetris,
Chicago Tribune,
2 June 2026
This shifts hair follicles from regressing into active growth.
—
Deena Zaidi,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
Rafa Leao and Christian Pulisic were unsustainably clinical in the first half of the season, before regressing to the mean in a side bereft of chance creation in the second half of the campaign.
—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
And when Varley returns to Portia after a stint with the manipulative and tempestuous Lady Penwood (Katie Leung), that’s not Bridgerton simply regressing to a status quo.
—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
3 Mar. 2026
Spoelstra’s latest challenge to Ware came in mid-January, calling him out for regressing after his strong November stretch.
—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
31 Jan. 2026
Teachers at Sophia’s school told her parents that her reading skills were regressing, prompting them to order her glasses and schedule what seemed like routine tests.
—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
17 Jan. 2026
In the face of that reality—the death, functionally, of the American dream—millennials, Gen Zers and Gen Alphaers have started fantasizing about the abolition of money, of technology, of progress entirely, to the point of dreaming about regressing away from humanity itself.
—
Hazlitt,
3 Dec. 2025
With this loss, Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes dropped to 3-9 on the season — significantly regressing compared to last year's 9-4 finish.
—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regressing
Adjective
-
Three other vehicles with human drivers then appeared to illegally pass the stopped bus.
-
The truck crossed into the eastbound lane and crashed into the stopped Kia, striking the three pedestrians, CHP said.
Verb
-
At least Mercedes is reverting back to screwing things together rather than gluing things in a back-to-basics manufacturing push.
-
The state is reverting some districts to older lines that are more favorable to Republicans.
Verb
-
In 1922, Kenmore House was deteriorating, and the Kenmore Association and Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) needed $30,000 for its repairs and restoration.
-
And his political standing is now suddenly deteriorating to the point where Congress is maybe losing some of its fear, and there may be a different Congress after November.
Verb
-
Season 42 continues on Wednesday with Richard Nguyen returning as champion to face two new challengers.
-
Anderson had arrived safely and was staying overnight in the La Guaira hotel before returning home, Salcedo said in an interview with Reuters news agency.
Verb
-
Accelerating these efforts is crucial to protect children from worsening climate impacts.
-
Over several days, the boy was taken to clinics and emergency rooms as doctors searched for the cause of his worsening symptoms, the report said.
Verb
-
In the temple's crumbling courtyard, little remains… mostly empty pedestals scattered among the Sralao trees.
-
This medieval village was built onto a cliff overlooking the sea, where you can get lost in the narrow lanes among crumbling buildings with laundry dangling on clotheslines.
Verb
-
After years of declining sales, American Girl dolls are seeing a resurgence.
-
The state also has goals, including some that have been in place since 2012, that set declining limits on smog-causing pollutants and required automakers to sell increasing percentages of electric and hybrid vehicles through 2025.
Verb
-
Several men with guns are seen descending upon Dutton Ranch as Rip and crew, including Everett, get ready for battle.
-
Around the time that the drone appeared, two aircraft began following the Fiorella, descending toward it, climbing away, and circling.
Cite this Entry
“Regressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regressing. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
