as in deceleration
a usually gradual decrease in the pace or level of activity of something scientists discovered that they could achieve the retardation of light if they shined it through a variety of substances

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of retardation The degree of retardation is usually mild, but can be moderate to severe. Mark Cohen, Discover Magazine, 4 Apr. 2012 The criteria were: episodes that last no longer than 2 months, and that do not include suicidal feelings, psychotic symptoms, psychomotor retardation, or feelings of worthlessness. Neuroskeptic, Discover Magazine, 15 Mar. 2013 The Everrati's left pedal operates pads on discs in the normal fashion, but the motors also give powerful regenerative retardation when the accelerator is lifted. Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 18 June 2021 The Vantage’s brake pedal has a nice firm weight but little travel, retardation being down to pressure rather than movement. Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 28 Feb. 2018 The policy of retardation of submarine technology ended right after the beginning of the Anglo-German naval race (marked by the German Naval Laws of 1898 and 1900). chicagotribune.com, 28 July 2017 At the end Austen had psychomotor retardation and could barely move. Rene Chun, Los Angeles Magazine, 19 June 2017 The front wheels threaten to lock up under what feels like normal levels of retardation at low speeds. Mike Duff, Car and Driver, 30 June 2017
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retardation
Noun
  • Apparel exports from Turkey saw a decline of 6 percent in January-February 2025, and a drop of 4.47 percent year-on-year in 2024, with the last month of the year falling almost 11 percent.
    Mayu Saini, Sourcing Journal, 8 Apr. 2025
  • The exhibition community and studios alike have suffered some cruel blows, but for now the domestic marketplace seems to be settling in at around a 20% decline from 2019.
    Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 8 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The March survey, forecasters say, will likely reveal a continuing slowdown in job growth that reflects the fading of a post-pandemic hiring burst as well as some growing business uncertainty about the import fees.
    Paul Davidson, USA Today, 3 Apr. 2025
  • The government's monthly jobs report, which will be released on April 4 at 8:30 a.m. EST, is expected to show a slowdown in hiring, with economists forecasting that employers added 130,000 new hires in March, according to financial data company FactSet.
    Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • At the time, the company asked visual artist Felipe Pantone to reinterpret its signature Archibald armchair in a limited-edition drop of 110 pieces.
    Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 7 Apr. 2025
  • The stock market has opened to another drop on Monday, following last week's historic selloffs, with the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite all down around 4 percent in early trades.
    John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • To call it a sophomore slump is an oversimplification.
    Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2025
  • Financial markets often overreact, but this Trump slump is perfectly rational and explicable.
    John Cassidy, New Yorker, 7 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Retardation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retardation. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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