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Retrospectively - Meaning, Definition & English Examples

Retrospectively means looking back at or considering past events or situations. It is often used to analyze or evaluate something after it has happened, such as reviewing decisions or actions.

retrospectively

/ˌrɛtrəˈspɛktɪvli/ /ˌrɛtrəʊˈspɛktɪvli/

Definition:

Looking back on or dealing with past events or situations.

Synonyms:

Hindsight, backwardly, after the fact

Part of Speech:

Adverb

Antonyms:

Prospectively, forward-looking

Common Collocations:

Retrospectively applied, viewed retrospectively, analyzed retrospectively

Derivatives:

Retrospect, retrospective, retrospection

Usage Tips:

Use "retrospectively" to describe actions or analyses done after an event has occurred.

Common Phrases:

In retrospect, hindsight is 20/20, looking back retrospectively

Etymology:

Derived from Latin "retro-" (backward) + "specere" (to look), meaning "to look back."

Examples:

  • 1. The judge ruled retrospectively on the old case.
  • 2. She realized retrospectively that her decision had been a mistake.
  • 3. The law was applied retrospectively to include past violations.
  • 4. They analyzed the data retrospectively to find patterns.

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