regression

regression — noun

1. a situation where a person, society, or system moves back to a condition that is

1.nounB2
Definition

a situation where a person, society, or system moves back to a condition that is more basic or poorer than what had been achieved before — for example, when a country's economy shrinks after years of growth, or when a student's language skills drop after months without practice.

Example

After the earthquake, the region suffered a serious economic regression that took years to reverse.

collocation: economic regression

Mathieu noticed a regression in his Mandarin fluency after spending a year in Mexico.

pattern: regression + in + [skill/ability]

Common collocations
  • economic regression
  • social regression
  • regression in quality
  • regression to the mean
  • regression toward
Synonyms
  • decline

    focuses on gradual loss of quality rather than return to an earlier state

  • backslide

    more informal, often about personal habits or moral standards

  • retreat

    can describe movement away from progress, but often implies deliberate choice

  • reversal

    emphasises a complete change to the opposite direction, not necessarily to a prior state

Antonyms
  • progress

    forward movement or development toward a better state

  • advancement

    formal, emphasises improvement or forward momentum

Grammar Patterns

regression + in/to/toward + noun phrase

a regression + of + noun phrase

Usage Note

Often used with prepositions 'in' (regression in quality/skills) or 'to' (regression to an earlier state). The opposite is 'progress' or 'improvement'.

Common Mistakes

The patient's regression of the disease' (meaning improvement).
The patient's recovery showed a regression of the disease.
sense 1 is about getting WORSE, not better; use sense 2 for improvement in medical symptoms.

2. the process in which a disease, a tumour, or its symptoms become smaller, weaker

2.nounB2
Definition

the process in which a disease, a tumour, or its symptoms become smaller, weaker, or less severe — for example, when a cancerous growth shrinks after treatment, or when a fever goes down over time.

Example

The MRI scan confirmed a marked regression of the tumour after four chemotherapy sessions.

collocation: regression of + [tumour/disease]

Hassan felt hopeful when the doctor reported regression of his father's lung infection.

Common collocations
  • regression of a tumour
  • disease regression
  • tumour regression
  • symptom regression
  • spontaneous regression
Synonyms
  • remission

    specifically of disease symptoms disappearing for a period; stronger than regression

  • subsidence

    formal, of swelling, inflammation, or fever going down

  • abatement

    formal, of symptoms or intensity decreasing

Antonyms
  • progression

    the spread or worsening of a disease

  • worsening

    everyday term for deterioration of medical condition

Grammar Patterns

regression + of + [disease/symptom]

Usage Note

This medical sense is the opposite of 'progression' (disease getting worse). Do NOT confuse with sense 1 (which means getting worse in general) — only sense 2 describes improvement. Frequently used in oncology and clinical reports.

Common Mistakes

There was a regression in his health' (meaning he got worse).
The treatment caused a regression of the tumour.
'regression' in medical contexts means the disease gets BETTER; in general contexts, it means things get WORSE.

3. a mental process in which a person, especially under stress or threat, starts be

3.nounC1
Definition

a mental process in which a person, especially under stress or threat, starts behaving in ways that belong to a younger period of life — for example, an adult who throws a tantrum like a child when faced with criticism at work.

Example

Devika's regression to thumb-sucking during exams was a clear sign of heightened anxiety.

pattern: regression + to + [behaviour]

The psychologist explained that temporary regression in children is normal after a big move or a new sibling arrival.

domain-specific: psychological regression in children

Common collocations
  • age regression
  • psychological regression
  • regression in children
  • temporary regression
  • regression as a defence mechanism
  • trauma-induced regression
Synonyms
  • reversion

    more general term for returning to a prior state; not specific to psychology

  • retrogression

    formal synonym, rarer, emphasises backward development

Antonyms
  • development

    forward progression through developmental stages

  • maturation

    the process of becoming emotionally and mentally mature

Grammar Patterns

regression + to + [earlier developmental stage]

regression + into + [childlike behaviour]

Usage Note

In psychology, this is a recognised defence mechanism (first described by Freud). Distinguish from sense 1: psychological regression is about reverting to an earlier developmental stage, not about general decline. Common in clinical and developmental psychology contexts.

4. a method used in statistics to study how two or more measured variables are conn

4.nounC1
Definition

a method used in statistics to study how two or more measured variables are connected and to use that connection to predict the value of one variable from the others — for example, using people’s years of education and work experience to estimate their likely salary.

Example

The research team applied a linear regression model to forecast electricity demand for the next decade.

collocation: linear regression model

Layla ran a regression analysis linking study hours, sleep, and exam scores in her psychology project.

collocation: regression analysis

Common collocations
  • linear regression
  • multiple regression
  • logistic regression
  • regression analysis
  • regression coefficient
  • regression line
  • regression model
  • regression equation
Synonyms

Grammar Patterns

regression + model/analysis/line

linear/multiple/logistic + regression

Usage Note

By far the most common technical sense of 'regression' in academic and professional contexts. 'Linear regression' assumes a straight-line relationship between variables; 'multiple regression' uses two or more predictor variables. Always statistical unless the context explicitly names psychology or medicine.

Common Mistakes

I did a regression between height and weight' (too vague).
I ran a linear regression to analyse the relationship between height and weight.
specify the type of regression (linear, multiple, logistic) where possible.

Word family

  • regress
    verbB2
  • regressive
    adjectiveB2
  • regressor
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe moving backward or worsening, but each has a distinct focus. 'Decline' is the broadest — it describes a gradual loss of quality, strength, or quantity over time ('the decline of manufacturing in the region'). 'Regression' specifically emphasises returning to an earlier, less advanced state, not just getting worse. 'Retreat' often carries a sense of deliberate withdrawal from a position or commitment ('a retreat from democratic reforms'). 'Backslide' is more informal and personal — it suggests falling back into bad habits or moral failings after a period of improvement ('he backslid into smoking'). 'Relapse' is medical or addiction-related — it means falling back into an illness or substance use after recovery ('she suffered a relapse after six months sober'). For general decline, use 'decline'; for returning to a prior state, use 'regression'; for personal failure after progress, use 'backslide'; for disease or addiction recurrence, use 'relapse'.

decline ↗retreat ↗backsliderelapse

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • regression analysis
  • regression model
  • regression line
  • regression coefficient
  • regression toward the mean
  • age regression
  • disease regression

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'regression' comes from the Latin verb 'regredi' meaning 'to go back', formed from 're-' (back) and 'gradi' (to step, to go). Its noun form 'regressio' (a going back, a return) entered English in the 16th century through French. The general sense of returning to an earlier state has been in use since the 1500s. The psychological meaning dates to the early 20th century, particularly through Sigmund Freud's work describing regression as a defence mechanism. The statistical meaning was coined by Sir Francis Galton in the late 1800s when he observed that extreme traits in parents tended to 'regress toward the mean' in offspring — giving us the modern term 'regression analysis'.