regressing 1 of 2

adjective

as in retrogressing

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regressing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of regress
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

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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

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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
Verb
Quarterback coach Bush Hamdan bears some responsibility for the top quarterbacks under his watch regressing - first Quinn Ewers (who was jettisoned to Jacksonville) and now Willis. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2026 On the other side, the Los Angeles Chargers (0-4) look like they’re headed to a lost season and quarterback Justin Herbert is regressing. — Jeff Howe, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026 The cumulative effect of regressing academically every summer means kids are starting off every school year in a deficit, as previously mentioned. — Sherri Gordon, Parents, 7 July 2026 But as Saturday’s play showed, things have a way of evening out, regressing to the mean. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 27 June 2026 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 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regressing
  1. stopped
  2. reverting
  3. deteriorating
  4. returning
  5. worsening
  6. crumbling
  7. declining
  8. descending
Adjective
  • The girl with a backpack on could be seen crossing the street while looking at her phone before the stopped truck began moving beside her, in videos obtained by ABC station WPVI and CBS station KYW.
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The crash drew a crowd from the stopped traffic, who quickly spread photos and videos of the driver on social media.
    — Irene Wright, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of stopped
Verb
  • Rollback plans should account for data changes and financial transactions; reverting application code alone may not reverse a financial consequence.
    — Manny Khan, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The notorious property has since undergone a name change, reverting back to its original moniker of Sycamore Valley Ranch.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of reverting
Verb
  • The referendum would authorize Miami to issue $450 million in general obligation bonds to repair or replace deteriorating police and fire-rescue facilities, including construction of a new public safety building near Miami Freedom Park.
    — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Declining industrial demand can make the electricity balance sheet look healthier, when the reality is that the economy is deteriorating under the pressure of relentless attacks.
    — Tatiana Mitrova, Foreign Affairs, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of deteriorating
Verb
  • The passengers were reportedly returning from a funeral when the accident occurred.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Mayfield was returning from an injury after missing three games.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of returning
Verb
  • Rising utility costs are worsening the affordability crunch facing millions of American families, who are facing sharply higher gasoline and diesel prices amid higher oil costs due to the war in Iran.
    — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Residents are worried about how data centers will affect power and water supplies, as well as worsening noise pollution.
    — Jay Ganglani, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of worsening
Verb
  • Nearly a third of its education budget is eaten up by pensions, so its poorer schools are crumbling.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In Frankfurt, a gray city crumbling at the corners and still finding its footing after the war, though somehow doing its best to pretend all is well, Mann and Erika are greeted by the mayor and hustled off to a press conference.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of crumbling
Verb
  • Chinese firms have been suffering from declining profit growth amid intense competition that has eroded margins and even invited the government to step in.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026
  • While program closures at colleges and universities often result from declining enrollment or a financial crisis, our decisions at Valencia are driven by neither.
    — Kathleen Plinske, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 Oct. 2026
Definition of declining
Verb
  • Video recorded from the stands shows the service member descending on a rope from the rafters at the Alamodome before falling to the field.
    — Shayna Jacobs, NBC news, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The spacecraft will attempt two collection landings, with its exploration and return modules descending and returning to orbit as one vehicle.
    — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of descending

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Cite this Entry

“Regressing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regressing. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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