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as in retro
pleasantly reminiscent of an earlier time
the loft's retrograde decor seeks to capture the look and feel of the swinging '60s
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
the Dark Ages, the period following the fall of the Roman Empire when Western civilization seriously retrograded
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in counterclockwise
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of retrograde
Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Aug. 2025
This is no longer a matter of liberal drift but an illiberal takeover—the Berkeley hippies who moved into faculty lounges decades ago would now be considered retrograde white supremacists—a structural crisis.
—Ilya Shapiro, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
Valerie Mesa, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
The Five of Swords arrives to suggest tension in relationships, possibly due to miscommunication around the time that Mercury stations retrograde on the 15th.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for retrograde
Verb
Meanwhile, Saturn’s retrograde re-entry into Pisces puts accountability on your wellness and work habits.
—Dossé-Via Trenou, Refinery29, 29 Aug. 2025
This is no longer a matter of liberal drift but an illiberal takeover—the Berkeley hippies who moved into faculty lounges decades ago would now be considered retrograde white supremacists—a structural crisis.
—Ilya Shapiro, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Aug. 2025
Adverb
Leave it to the changemaker planet, Uranus, to station retrograde in your career sector to stir up changes that completely catch you off guard.
—Valerie Mesa, People.com, 1 Sep. 2025
The Five of Swords arrives to suggest tension in relationships, possibly due to miscommunication around the time that Mercury stations retrograde on the 15th.
—Meghan Rose, Glamour, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for retrograde
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retrograde
Adjective
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Trump’s America looks backward—toward a gender order where men lead families and women follow.—
Sophia A. Nelson,
Forbes.com,
9 Sep. 2025
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On the other hand, speaking Spanish with a gringo accent could mark you as an outsider on the island, while not speaking English at all could be seen as backward in the diaspora.—
Héctor M. Varela Rios,
The Conversation,
8 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The color palette hewed towards various shades of browns giving the clothes a touch of a retro feel.—
Blue Carreon,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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What follows is nearly 100 minutes of violent vengeance as the two men wage war for Sophia’s heart, all set to a propulsive retro score curated by Grammy winner and Detroit native Jack White.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In San Francisco, a development called Hunters View built in 1956 to provide temporary workforce housing was still inhabited and badly deteriorating by the early 2000s.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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But the relations have deteriorated significantly since the start of the war in Gaza, with Israeli officials voicing growing anger at Qatar, accusing the government of harboring Hamas and not putting enough pressure on it to agree to a ceasefire.—
Oren Liebermann,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
Adverb
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The steel case is topped with a 12-sided ceramic unidirectional bezel that provides a firm grip and a solid, quiet motion when rotating it counterclockwise.—
Anthony DeMarco,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
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Upon entering the facility grounds, visitors proceed counterclockwise around the basin, symbolically taking them back to 1945.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Here’s what to avoid at estate sales according to two vintage shopping experts.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
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As for old media, niche collectors may be interested in vintage items.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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To manage the thousands of people who descend daily, operators have studied visitors’ behavior and engineered their parks to move people around without anyone realizing they’re being nudged.—
Bianca Bosker,
The Atlantic,
14 Sep. 2025
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In September and October, the core of the Milky Way is visible as soon as twilight descends.—
Stephanie Vermillion,
Travel + Leisure,
14 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Head just out of town to see covered bridges, farms, antique shops, and apple orchards selling apples and cider doughnuts.—
Patricia Doherty,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Sep. 2025
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Nothing looks more out of place than a bright yellow doorknob in a room full of dark and weighty antique furniture.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Ross, one of the Democrats to decline AIPAC money, is a relative centrist, according to a GovTrack scorecard, while Foushee and McGarvey, Kentucky’s only House Democrat, are in the middle of the pack ideologically.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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That has declined over the years because of budget constraints.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Retrograde.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retrograde. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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