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Definitions

retrospective

[re-truh-spek-tiv] / ˌrɛ trəˈspɛk tɪv /
ADJECTIVE
backward-looking
Synonyms


ADJECTIVE
concerned with past
Synonyms


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

There can be no retrospective action as VAR has effectively made it obsolete in the Premier League.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

“While a memoir or formal autobiography aims to offer a retrospective story, the diary typically doesn’t, or can’t, because it is written from the middle of an unfolding life.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 6, 2026

"Our retrospective study findings warrant further testing in larger populations, particularly in people before they show symptoms," Zaret said.

From Science Daily • Mar. 23, 2026

It was sold at auction by Christie's in 2014 for more than £2.5m, but has now been loaned back to Tate Modern for its new retrospective, Tracey Emin: A Second Life.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026

As we have seen, the discovery of oxygen was retrospective.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton




Vocabulary lists containing retrospective