retrospective

adjective

Definition of retrospectivenext
as in philosophical
given to or marked by reflection of the past Her book takes a retrospective look at the actor's long and distinguished career.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 retrospective Join Brooklyn Nine-Nine co-creator Dan Goor and cast members for an exclusive retrospective celebrating the beloved NBC comedy. — Nick Romano, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Aug. 2026 Wolff believes this gives the agency more immediate visibility into client performance, rather than relying solely on retrospective reporting. — Ethan M. Stone, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026 The whole point of the event is not the event itself but the retrospective broadcasting of its participants’ staggering wealth and power. — Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026 Heritage Monday has become a popular fixture at the industry section of the Locarno Film Festival, reflecting the growing interest in film restoration and retrospective programming. — John Bleasdale, Variety, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for retrospective
Recent Examples of Synonyms for retrospective
  1. philosophical
  2. nostalgic
  3. introspective
  4. analytic
  5. thoughtful
  6. reflective
Adjective
  • He is best known for introducing the idea of dynamical similarity to cosmological systems — a mathematical realization of philosophical principles in physics.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Shankara advises that worshipping gods with names and stories through devotional rituals and sacred images (murtis) is an acceptable step for some people on the path toward a more philosophical understanding of an all-pervasive ultimate reality.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of philosophical
Adjective
  • To add a cozy, nostalgic element to your home, the designers are sharing the top color combinations that are making a comeback.
    — Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2026
  • White suggests nuts, popcorn, bite-size desserts, cheese boards, or, of course, nostalgic candy.
    — Heather Bien, Southern Living, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of nostalgic
Adjective
  • The music was imbued with grace and dignity in both its most introspective and uplifting moments.
    — George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • For Sézalory, Sézane has always been introspective, informed by her personal taste and dress sense.
    — Alice Cary, Vogue, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of introspective
Adjective
  • The momentum in many criminal legal enterprises began hurtling toward digitally automating this analytic regime of knowledge.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Just as people lost navigation and memorization skills with modern inventions, bankers risk losing analytical abilities if algorithms handle all the heavy lifting, Churchman said.
    — Hugh Son, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of analytic
Adjective
  • The angular build brings in thoughtful symmetry and lots of tabletop space to curate a varied display of coffee table books and knickknacks.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Ranjit Bawa, chief technology and ventures officer at Deloitte, also recommends giving employees autonomy to make thoughtful decisions around when to use AI.
    — Sophie Caldwell, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of thoughtful
Adjective
  • Tycho Crater is visible in the lower region of the lunar disk close to the shadow, while bright ejecta rays of reflective material brighten the darker lunar seas, where lava solidified to form basaltic plains billions of years ago.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Exhilarating, sublime, and unsettling, these installations—which often incorporate polka-dot balloons, pumpkins, LED lights, and soundtracks—immerse the viewer in infinite reflective surfaces, exploding even small spaces into an endless expanse.
    — Livia Caligor, Architectural Digest, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of reflective

Browse Nearby Words

retrospections
retrospective
retrospects
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Retrospective.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retrospective. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All