Regressing: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when discussing situations or conditions that are returning to a less developed or a worse state, often in medical, scientific, or psychological contexts.

• The patient's condition is regressing after the initial improvement.
• If the economy continues regressing, we might face another recession.

Commonly used to describe returning to a previous state, condition, or practice. It can be neutral or negative depending on the context.

• After the trial period, the software will revert to its original version.
• He promised not to revert to his previous behavior.

Typically used in personal or informal contexts to describe a return to bad habits or negative behaviors, often after making progress or improvement.

• He was doing well with his diet but started to backslide after a few months.
• After years of sobriety, she began to backslide into old habits.

A more formal term, often used in academic or historical contexts, to describe a return to a worse or less advanced state.

• Societal norms can sometimes retrogress under oppressive regimes.
• The technology seemed to retrogress during the economic decline.

Used when discussing a return to a less developed or worse state, often in personal development, health, or scientific terms.

• After making so much progress in therapy, he's unfortunately regressing.
• The research indicates that without continued support, patients might start regressing.

Used to describe a situation where someone or something withdraws or pulls back from a challenging or unfavorable situation. Can be both physical or metaphorical.

• The soldiers were forced to retreat from the battlefield.
• When facing criticism, it's important not to retreat into isolation.

Commonly used when someone changes their mind or retracts a statement or action. Often implies a correction or reconsideration of a previous decision.

• He had to backtrack after realizing his initial decision was flawed.
• Don't let them pressure you to backtrack on your commitments.

Generally refers to something moving back or diminishing from a previous state, such as water levels, hairlines, or pain.

• As the floodwaters recede, people are beginning to assess the damage.
• His hairline is starting to recede due to age.