regressive
adjective
re·gres·sive
ri-ˈgre-siv 
1
: tending to regress or produce regression
2
: being, characterized by, or developing in the course of an evolutionary process involving increasing simplification of bodily structure
3
: decreasing in rate as the base increases
a regressive tax
Examples of regressive in a Sentence
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Congress could make less regressive, less costly, but more complicated changes by limiting the benefit of the higher deduction to, say, households making less than $200,000 or prohibiting business owners from claiming their state and local taxes as a business expense.
—
Howard Gleckman, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
What’s more, the movie’s frank, casual depiction of her friends and former colleagues ensures that Ghada never becomes a proxy for regressive, anti-sexwork views, since her choices are framed as hers, and hers alone — and one of many possible options.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 30 Dec. 2024
Despite the growing calls for free trade and progressive taxation, the movement to supplant regressive tariffs with progressive taxes faced numerous obstacles.
—Ajay K. Mehrotra / Made By History, TIME, 29 Oct. 2024
Even if a regressive replacement for income taxes — which primarily would benefit people like Trump — seemed like a good idea for some reason, time to compare some numbers.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024
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Howard Gleckman, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
What’s more, the movie’s frank, casual depiction of her friends and former colleagues ensures that Ghada never becomes a proxy for regressive, anti-sexwork views, since her choices are framed as hers, and hers alone — and one of many possible options.
—Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 30 Dec. 2024
Despite the growing calls for free trade and progressive taxation, the movement to supplant regressive tariffs with progressive taxes faced numerous obstacles.
—Ajay K. Mehrotra / Made By History, TIME, 29 Oct. 2024
Even if a regressive replacement for income taxes — which primarily would benefit people like Trump — seemed like a good idea for some reason, time to compare some numbers.
—Erik Sherman, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for regressive
Dictionary Entries Near regressive
Cite this Entry
“Regressive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/regressive. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
regressive
adjective
re·gres·sive
ri-ˈgres-iv
1
: of, relating to, or tending toward regression
2
: gradually decreasing
a regressive tax
Medical Definition
regressive
adjective
re·gres·sive
ri-ˈgres-iv
: relating to, resulting from, producing, or characterized by regression
regressive behavior
regressive tissue changes
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