What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
retrogress
Example
The company's profits retrogressed this quarter due to poor sales. [retrogress: verb]
Example
The country's economy has retrogressed over the past decade. [retrogressed: past participle]
deteriorate
Example
The food will deteriorate if left out in the sun for too long. [deteriorate: verb]
Example
The patient's health has deteriorated rapidly in the past few days. [deteriorated: past participle]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Deteriorate is more commonly used than retrogress in everyday language.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between retrogress and deteriorate?
Retrogress is more formal than deteriorate and is typically used in academic or professional settings.
