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
Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
His play had regressed significantly as both a passer and a running threat.
—Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026
Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
Losing that type of talent would cause most defenses to regress, but the Cougars have maintained a similar level of production.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regress
Verb
Currently sitting outside the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking, his game has noticeably regressed over the past couple of seasons.
—Jeff Goudy, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
His play had regressed significantly as both a passer and a running threat.
—Jon Root Outkick, FOXNews.com, 23 May 2026
Noun
The clue has been replaced by the data-trace; the villain by the algorithmic network; the crime by the infinite regress of surveillance itself.
—Literary Hub, 10 Dec. 2025
Losing that type of talent would cause most defenses to regress, but the Cougars have maintained a similar level of production.
—Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for regress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for regress
Verb
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How registration rates work The cut will temporarily revert tab fees to pre-2024 levels, though individual savings will depend on a vehicle’s value and age.—
Alex Derosier,
Twin Cities,
31 May 2026
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Starbucks’ decision to revert back to its previous inventory system also reflects broader growing pains in how the retail industry has deployed AI.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
28 May 2026
Verb
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As her health deteriorated, Amy's disciples were led to believe her death would herald a celestial exit, Heaven's Gate-style (via UFO), paving the way for society's salvation.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
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Even better, people taking the drug had about five more months before their quality of life deteriorated compared to those on chemotherapy.—
Lisa Jarvis,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
Noun
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The undercover officer then used age-regression software to send a photo of herself.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
28 May 2026
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There was bound to be some regression, and shoved into a closer’s role after the injury to Estevez, there was likely to be some exposure, too.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
27 May 2026
Verb
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The rulings do not clear the former paramedics of wrongdoing but return the cases to the lower court for a possible retrial.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
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That includes several breakout freshman series that will return for second seasons, Apple TV’s Emmy-winning The Studio, Netflix’s The Hunting Wives, USA Network’s The Rainmaker and MGM+’s Robin Hood.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
Verb
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Several years ago, during a medical emergency of my own, I had already been evaluated by a physician and advised to seek emergency care if my symptoms worsened.—
Iyesatta Massaquoi Emeli,
STAT,
2 June 2026
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This is every summer, right now, for the 200,000 people who live here — a public health emergency that is worsening with the global climate crisis and exacerbated even further by an onslaught of irresponsible development.—
Daniela Flores,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
Verb
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His Democratic Party then went further by pushing a special counsel that could cancel the charges against him outright -- a move Lee declined to endorse or oppose publicly.—
Joohee Cho,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
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Writers and reporters at the conference are learning how to improve their coverage of topics, including changes to education at the federal and state levels, the use of artificial intelligence in schools, and declining enrollment.—
Kellye Lynn,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Verb
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At least 45 people were arrested in Paris on Saturday after celebrations over Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League victory descended into chaos, with fires set, businesses vandalized and crowds clashing with police.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
31 May 2026
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In humans, the larynx has descended far down into the neck.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Hyde has McCallany playing Detective Grimes, a haunted investigator descending into the decaying underbelly of a crumbling metropolis while hunting a brutal serial killer.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
1 June 2026
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They were set in crumbling castles and moldering dungeons—that is, amid the rubble of a collapsing social order.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Regress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/regress. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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