regression
- 01 C1 Advanced
the act of returning to a previous or less advanced state.
the process of returning to a former or less developed state, often implying a decline in quality or complexity.
Simple“The country saw a regression in democratic values after the new laws were passed.”
In context“Sociologists noted a significant regression in social mobility within the region following the collapse of the local manufacturing industry.”
SynonymsAntonyms - 02 C1 Advanced
a mathematical way to see how one thing affects another.
a statistical method for estimating the relationships among variables, typically to determine how a dependent variable changes when independent variables vary.
Simple“The researcher used a linear regression to predict house prices based on their size.”
In context“By performing a multiple regression analysis, the economists were able to isolate the impact of interest rates on consumer spending patterns.”
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
when a computer problem that was fixed before happens again after a new update.
the reappearance of a previously resolved functional defect following a code change or software update.
Simple“The latest update caused a regression that broke the login screen.”
In context“The development team implemented automated regression testing to ensure that new features did not inadvertently compromise existing system stability.”
Synonymsrelapsesoftware bug - 04 C2 Proficiency
the process of a tumor or a disease getting smaller or less serious.
the lessening or disappearance of the symptoms or physical size of a disease, particularly a tumor.
Simple“The doctors were pleased to see a regression of the tumor after the first round of treatment.”
In context“Spontaneous regression of this particular type of carcinoma is rare, making the patient's recovery a subject of significant clinical interest.”
Antonyms - 05 C2 Proficiency
behaving like a younger person or a child, often because of stress.
a defense mechanism leading to the temporary or long-term reversion of the ego to an earlier stage of development.
Simple“Under extreme pressure, some people show signs of emotional regression.”
In context“The therapist identified the patient's sudden outbursts as a form of psychological regression triggered by childhood trauma.”
Synonymsinfantilism
Usage multiple regression · regression movement
“Those errors create a situation in which we are measuring a highly uncertain value far upstream, causing a fundamental rule of statistics to come into play: regression to the mean.”
“How much of last season’s regression can be pinned on the former head coach will become apparent in the months ahead.”
Learned borrowing from Latin regressio. Equivalent to regress + -ion. The statistics sense comes from regression to the mean.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.