Tom wishes sometimes that he could physically regress to an age of his choice so that people wouldn't look at him with disgust.
Source: tatoeba (9345570)
Regress
/ˈɹiːˌɡɹɛs/
Synonyms for "regress" (178 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (36)
Strong matches (53)
disenchantmentdisimproveebbfallfall again intofall asternfall backfall behindfall from graceflip flopflip-flopflowfollowget behindget overget worsegogo aroundgo backgo backwards
Show 25 more words
go behindgo roundgo sidewaysgrow worsegyratehave a relapsejerkjerk backlag behindlapselapse backlet downlose groundmountmovemove overplungeprogresspull backreactionrecederecessionrecidivaterecidivationrecidivism
Verb(3 words)
Related words (89)
reclamationreconversionrecur toreentryrefluencerefluxregressionrehabilitationreinstatementrelapserestitutionrestorationretroactionretrocederetrocessionretroflexretroflexionretrogradationretrograderetrogress
Show 44 more words
retrogressionretroversionretrovertretrusionreturnreturn toreturningreversalreversereversionrevertrevert torevertingrevulsionriserollbackrotaterunsetbackshiftsickensinksink backslackenslide backslip backslipping backsoarspinsternwaystirstreamsubsidethrow backthrowbacktrailtrail behindtravelturnturnaboutwanewhirlworsenyield again to
Noun(10 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: retrogress, retrogression, reversion, about face, about-face.
- Sentence evidence is available for regress, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wiktionary, opengloss, wordnet, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "regress".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "regress"
Keep "regress" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "regress" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "regress", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "regress" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
22 entriesabstract thoughtchangechange by reversaldata analysis techniquedeclinedeteriorationlogical thinkingmodeling termphenomenonreasoningretrovertreturnreversalreverserevert
Showing 16 of 22 words.
More specific
12 entriesclinical regressioncognitive declinedevelopmental regressioneconomic backslidingeconomic regressionfunctional declinehealth declinelinear regressionlogistic regressionmultiple regressionpolynomial regressionsimple linear regression
Collocations
10 entriesclinical regressiondevelopmental regressionlinear regressionregress to the meanregression analysisregression lineregression modelregression toward meanspontaneous regressionstatistical regression
Inflections
4 entriesDerivations
4 entriesAntonyms
1 entriesTranslations
33 translations across 24 languages.
Belarusian
1 entries- рэгрэсі́раваць verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Bulgarian
1 entries- движа се назад verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Catalan
1 entries- retrocedir verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Chinese
1 entries- 退步 verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Chinese Cantonese
1 entries- 退步 verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Chinese Mandarin
1 entries- 退步 verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Dutch
1 entries- teruggaan verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Finnish
3 entries- regressoida verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
- regressoitua verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
- taantua verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
French
1 entries- régresser verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
German
1 entries- sich zurückbilden verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Greek
1 entries- υποστρέφω verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Hindi
1 entries- अवनति verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Irish
3 entries- aischéimnigh verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
- cúlaigh verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
- téigh ar gcúl verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Japanese
2 entries- 後退する verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
- 退歩する verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Korean
1 entries- 퇴보하다 verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Lithuanian
1 entries- grįžimas verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Macedonian
1 entries- назадува verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Māori
1 entries- tauheke verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Polish
3 entries- cofać verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
- uwsteczniać verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
- uwsteczniać się verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Portuguese
2 entries- regredir verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
- retroceder verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Romanian
1 entries- regresa verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Russian
1 entries- регресси́ровать verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Spanish
2 entries- retroceder verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
- retrogradar verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Ukrainian
1 entries- регресува́ти verb (to move backwards to an earlier stage)
Sample sentences
8 total sentences available.
They will make us regress.
Source: tatoeba (9845354)
It is quite clear that they are going to make us regress.
Source: tatoeba (9845369)
Its bearing on the progress or regress of man is not an inconsiderable question.
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 8 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "regress"?
Closest matches include retrogress, retrogression, reversion, about face, about-face.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "regress"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.