What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
retrospective
Example
The company held a retrospective meeting to discuss the successes and failures of the project. [retrospective: adjective]
Example
The museum is hosting a retrospective of the artist's paintings from the last decade. [retrospective: noun]
historical
Example
The historical society is dedicated to preserving the town's heritage. [historical: adjective]
Example
I'm taking a course on the historical development of the English language. [historical: adjective]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Historical is more common than retrospective in everyday language. Historical can be used in a wide range of contexts, while retrospective is more specialized and often used in professional or artistic settings.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between retrospective and historical?
Both historical and retrospective can be used in formal or academic contexts, but historical is more versatile and can be used in both formal and informal settings.
