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
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 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
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
  • 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
  • The exact process for reverting adult cells back to an early embryonic stage, however, wasn’t clear.
    — Venki Ramakrishnan, Scientific American, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of reverting
Verb
  • The conditions for Palestinians living in the West Bank are deteriorating rapidly.
    — Michael Robbins, Foreign Affairs, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Park advocates have long argued that the existing city allocation is inadequate, leaving neighborhoods with decaying recreation centers, deteriorating swimming pools and filthy park bathrooms.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of deteriorating
Verb
  • With Fitzpatrick returning, the Jets regain a veteran who can work alongside linebacker Demario Davis to organize the defense, align teammates and clean up communication in the secondary.
    — Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 4 Oct. 2026
  • All but Lightfoot ended up returning, but their temporary absences forced Cristobal to rotate in a lot more players to fill the void.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of returning
Verb
  • If your neck pain is chronic, worsening or accompanied by other symptoms, that’s a conversation for a doctor or physical therapist, not a problem a vibrating neckband is going to solve.
    — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026
  • But oil revenue has been particularly constrained by theft and pipeline vandalism that has cost the country about $300 billion in recent years, compounding in a worsening security crisis that has hampered the overall economy.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of worsening
Verb
  • Their complaints include inadequate staffing at schools, a lack of resources, crumbling infrastructure, and allegedly overpacked schedules.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 1 Oct. 2026
  • During her time in office, the city has weathered federal immigration raids and witnessed a continuing exit of Hollywood jobs, while residents complain about dirty, crumbling streets and homeless encampments.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of crumbling
Verb
  • Local officials and school leaders have linked the shortage of family housing to declining enrollment in the Davis Joint Unified School District, which is weighing school closures.
    — Daniel Lempres, Sacbee.com, 1 Oct. 2026
  • And the Civilian Oversight Commission filed suit against the department in June for declining to provide certain records related to three cases of use of force the commission issued subpoenas for in February 2025.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of declining
Verb
  • The drive winds through the verdant mountains of eastern Antioquia before descending into the Aburrá Valley, where Medellín stretches across the valley floor and surrounding hillsides.
    — Nikkita Nair, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The tomb’s entrance passage, with narrowing walls and descending axis, creates a liminal stage to orient the body before entering the burial chamber.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 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 9 Oct. 2026.

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