1. Moving or directed or tending in a backward direction or contrary to a previous direction
   "The retrograde orbit of the comet";
   - retral
    
2. (astronomy) moving from east to west on the celestial sphere; or — for planets — around the sun in a direction opposite to that of the Earth
   "Venus and Uranus have retrograde rotations"
    
3. Of amnesia; affecting time immediately preceding trauma
   "The patient suffered retrograde amnesia and couldn't remember the accident"
    
4. Going from better to worse
   "The retrograde policies led to a decline in public services";
   - retrogressive

1. Move back
   "The glacier retrogrades";
   - retreat
    
2. Move in a direction contrary to the usual one
   "retrograding planets"
    
3. Move backward in an orbit, of celestial bodies
   "Mars appeared to retrograde against the background stars"
    
4. Go back over
   "retrograde arguments";
   - rehash, hash over [N. Amer]
    
5. Get worse or fall back to a previous condition
   "The country retrograded to a dictatorship";
   - regress, retrogress

Derived forms: retrograded, retrogrades, retrograding

See also: backward, regressive, temporal relation

Type of: decline, draw back, go, locomote, move, move back, orb, orbit, pull away, pull back, recap, recapitulate, recede, retire, retreat, revolve, travel, withdraw, worsen

Antonym: anterograde, direct

Encyclopedia: Retrograde