regress
ree-GRESS
/rɪˈɡres/
To return to a former or less developed state.
Often used in psychology to describe a person returning to childlike behaviors under stress, or in statistics for 'regression toward the mean.'
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'regressus,' the past participle of 'regredi' (to go back). It is the direct opposite of 'progress.' In the 19th century, it became a key term in evolutionary biology to describe species that seemed to lose complex traits.
Word relationships
- revert: 'Revert' usually means returning to a previous habit; 'regress' implies a loss of maturity or progress.
- progress: Moving forward toward a more advanced state.
- advance: Moving forward in position or development.
Commonly confused with
- retrograde: Retrograde is often an adjective describing the direction of motion; regress is the act of losing progress.
Word family
- regression (noun): The act of returning to a less developed state.
- regressive (adjective): Tending to return to a former state.
Collocations
- regress to childhood
- regress to the mean
- socially regress
Example sentences
- "Under the stress of the new baby's arrival, the toddler began to regress and ask for a bottle again." Psychological observation of a child.
- "Critics argued that the new law would cause the justice system to regress by decades." A critique of political progress.
Memory hook
Regress is like 'Re-gressing' (re-stepping) back to the starting line. Regress = Reverse Progress.
When not to use
Avoid using it for simple physical decay; it specifically implies a 'step back' in development or complexity.
Fun facts
- In statistics, 'regression' is used because high-scoring parents tend to have children whose scores 'step back' toward the average.
Related words
Explore more words
regression, turn back, back to square one, withdraw, repress, relegate
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