Regresses

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To go back to a former, less developed stage or condition To revert to an earlier state of being, indicating a regression in growth or progress To move backward in terms of growth or advancement, often symbolizing a loss of efficacy or maturity
2. Returns to an earlier or less advanced condition after having progressed
3. Shifts back to a previous level of development or behavior after improvement

Etymology: "Regresses" is the third-person singular form of "regress", so the history belongs to the verb itself. The verb comes from Latin "regredior", meaning "to go back", built from "re-" ("back") and "gradior" ("to go"). The past participle of that Latin verb, "regressus", gave English a second route into the language: the same root word arrived both as a borrowing and as a doublet, so "regress" and "regressus" are close relatives that took different paths. The shared root explains the core sense. "Gradior" also lies behind "grade", "progress" and "degrade", all words about movement along a line or path. Attach "re-" and the movement reverses, so to regress is literally to step back along the road you have already walked. That physical idea of retreating is what the modern sense of sliding back to an earlier state, after having improved, grows out of.

Synonyms: reverts, declines, deteriorates, falls back, backslides

Antonyms: advances, progresses, improves, develops, evolves