Characterized by a return to a previous or less advanced state or condition.
The new policy was criticized for being regressive, as it seemed to undo years of progress in environmental protection.
Decreasing in rate as the base increases, often used in the context of taxation where the tax rate decreases as the amount subject to taxation increases.
A regressive tax system disproportionately affects lower-income individuals, as they end up paying a higher percentage of their income compared to wealthier individuals.
In linguistics, (of a sound change or assimilation) influenced by a following sound; anticipatory.
Voicing of /s/ to /z/ in "has been" is a regressive assimilation triggered by the following voiced consonant.