regress

C2+ Topic:Actions & Processes

US /rɪˈɡrɛs/ UK /rɪˈɡrɛs/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

verb
to return to a former, usually worse or less developed state

Under stress, patients may regress to childish behavior.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to return to a former,... revert retrogress backslide relapse retreat decline deteriorate

Opposites

progress advance improve develop

Word family

Derived forms regressionregressiveregressedregressor

Related forms progress digress transgress egress

Simplified etymology

Regress, recorded from the late Middle English period, comes from the Latin word family of gradi ‘to walk, proceed’ and literally carries the idea of walking backward.

Etymology

From Latin regressus ('a return, retreat'), past participle of regredi ('to go back'), from re- ('back') + gradi ('to step, walk'), from gradus ('step').

re- Latin regredi Latin gradi Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# regress

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /rɪˈɡrɛs/
**IPA (UK):** /rɪˈɡrɛs/

## Meanings
1. to return to a former, usually worse or less developed state

## Examples
- Under stress, patients may regress to childish behavior.

## Synonyms
- revert
- retrogress
- backslide
- relapse
- retreat
- decline
- deteriorate

## Antonyms
- progress
- advance
- improve
- develop

## Derived Forms
- regression
- regressive
- regressed
- regressor

## Related Forms
- progress
- digress
- transgress
- egress

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: re-
- Root: regredi
- Root: gradi

## Etymology
From Latin regressus ('a return, retreat'), past participle of regredi ('to go back'), from re- ('back') + gradi ('to step, walk'), from gradus ('step').

## AI Etymology
Regress comes from Latin regressus ('a return, retreat'), past participle of regredi ('to go back'), from re- ('back') + gradi ('to step, walk'), from gradus ('step'). The prefix supplies the first semantic turn, while the base carries the lexical core of the word. As a verb and noun, it means "to return to a former, usually worse or less developed state", so the modern sense keeps the older action or relation visible. Relevant historical forms include Latin re-, Latin regredi, and Latin gradi. Derivative forms include regression, regressive, regressed, regressor; related words include progress, digress, transgress, egress.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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