regress

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "regress" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to the act or process of going back to a previous state or condition. For example, "After years of progress, unfortunately the company has been forced to regress to its original misfortune."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

If it were just luck, the "supers" would regress to the mean: yesterday's champs would be today's chumps.

The Economist

Similarly, a Turkey spurned by Europe could soon regress into a sour and militant Islamist mood, right on Europe's front line.So the question left by the failed constitution should not be: how can we resurrect it?

The Economist

Evangelicalism, meanwhile, "marked a dismal intellectual regress in American religion [and a] blatant denial of scientific reality .The shadow of the 60sToday, the influence of these two movements can be seen in daily headlines.

The Economist

Rather than regress, however, he took another step forward.

The Economist

Canada well, most of it tries again Economic reform and social regress?

The Economist

Indeed, more than five years after the start of Romania's anti-corruption drive, the public is still waiting for one single case of high-level corruption to reach a verdict .Events also support Mr de Pauw's warning that Romania could soon regress to the level of 2003.

The Economist

In fact, those fluctuations occurred during the most stable period of home-court advantage in the league's history: two decades in which a five-year moving average of the home victory rate barely budged.None of this means that the "true" home-court edge is set in stone, or that all deviations from the prior norm will regress back to the established mean.

The Economist

During the next few weeks men all over the planet will regress to traditional patterns of behaviour, slumping in front of their television sets, neglecting their household duties.

The Economist

He quips that replacing the commerce department with some "multistakeholder committee", itself in need of supervision lest it be captured by vested interests, would be a step towards "an infinite regress".

The Economist

Mr Putin's September announcement of a planned job swap with President Dmitry Medvedev seemed just another sign of regress and conceit.Belatedly, the Kremlin is trying to repair the damage.

The Economist

But to be fair, me and Damon regress as well.Did you film on location in Australia?

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "regress" when you want to emphasize a return to a previous, often less desirable, state or condition. It's suitable for describing a decline in progress, skills, or health.

Common error

Avoid using "regress" when you mean to describe suppressing something. "Repress" means to restrain or subdue, whereas "regress" indicates a movement backward. For example, don't say "The government regressed dissent"; instead, say "The government repressed dissent".

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "regress" is as an intransitive verb, indicating an action of returning to a former or less developed state. Ludwig examples illustrate its use in describing decline or movement backward. According to Ludwig AI, the term is considered correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

35%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

10%

Wiki

5%

Reference

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the term "regress" is a versatile verb used to describe a return to a previous or less developed state. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and widely used across diverse contexts, from news and media to science and formal writing. While synonyms like "fall back" or "revert" exist, "regress" carries a specific connotation of decline. Remember to avoid confusing it with "repress", and use it accurately to convey a movement backward. Ludwig examples and authoritative sources further validate its proper usage and context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fall back

Indicates a return to a previous position or condition, often implying a loss of progress.

revert

Signals a return to a former state, practice, or belief.

backslide

Implies a relapse into bad habits or a worse state.

retrogress

Formally indicates a return to a less developed state.

decline

Suggests a gradual deterioration or decrease in quality or condition.

deteriorate

Emphasizes the worsening of a situation or condition.

relapse

Refers to a return to a previous illness or negative behavior.

degenerate

Implies a decline into a corrupt or undesirable state.

step backward

A more literal description of losing ground, indicating a setback.

lose ground

Conveys the idea of losing an advantage or making less progress than before.

FAQs

How can I use "regress" in a sentence?

You can use "regress" to indicate a return to a former or less developed state. For example, "The patient's condition began to "regress" after the medication was discontinued."

What are some alternatives to using "regress"?

Alternatives to "regress" include "fall back", "revert", or "backslide", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What does it mean when someone says a situation is "regressing"?

When a situation is "regressing", it means it's deteriorating or returning to a previous, often worse, state. This implies a loss of progress or improvement.

Is there a difference between "regress" and "retrogress"?

"Regress" and "retrogress" are largely synonymous and can be used interchangeably. Both terms refer to moving backward or declining.