regressive

adj

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"regressive" is a 10-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“regressive” has 13 generated spelling variants in the English index at frequency #30,563. The variants make it a useful spelling check.

#30,563
frequency rank, English
3,094
“R” headwords
13
tracked misspellings
3
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - That tends to return, revert or regress.

Corpus desk

Index EN-regressive · regressive · English

regressive · rank #30,563 · 13 variants · 3 confusables

  • FREQ-MID #30,563
  • LEN-MEGA 10 letters
  • VOW-4 4 vowels
  • CONFUS-LOW 3 pairs
  • VAR-HIGH 13 variants
  • BOOK-MID 3,094
  • PHOTO-FINISH regrettable

Nearest frequency peer: regrettable (+1 rank slots)

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Rank peers near misspelling magnet “regressive”

Same rarity band: useful when a typo lands on a peer headword

corpus weight

What this shows “regressive” sits among these FrequencyWords peers; misspelling depth is tracked separately in the edit-distance chart.

Source FrequencyWords open word-frequency list As of September 3, 2026

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

regressive vs repressive
90% similar
regressive vs recessive
80% similar
regressive vs regression
80% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for regressive
PropertyValue
Headwordregressive
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
Letters10
Frequency rank#30,563
Misspellings tracked13
Confusable pairs3
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Frequency seat of misspelling magnet “regressive”

This scale runs from the tiny cluster of words that carry ordinary speech (left) to the long tail of words almost nobody reaches for (right).regressivelands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

The axis is logarithmic, with each marked tick roughly ten times rarer than the last. Same rarity band neighbours include “regrettable” (#30,564), “rectum” (#30,561), “reaping” (#30,560). Among 3,094 “R” headwords, “regressive” is #30,563. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

A misspelling magnet

The generator records 13 spelling variants around regressive, anadjective. Corpus frequency is #30,563 among 3,094 “R” headwords. Wiktionary lists 2 senses, so context still picks the gloss.

Our generated misspelling index lists 13 likely wrong-spelling variants for regressive, with forms such as "ergressive", "regerssive", and "reggressive". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 3 confusable-pair relationships, "repressive", "recessive", "regression", where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin regressīvus, equivalent to regress + -ive. The correct English form is regressive, spelled R-E-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    That tends to return, revert or regress.
  2. 2
    Whose rate decreases as the taxed amount increases.

Recorded use

Wiktionary examples

These source excerpts show how regressive appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. Some say history repeats itself, that time is cyclical. Others cling to the notion of progress and change over time. Apparently Nancy Walker marches to a different drummer — marches backwards, that is. Her ideas on art and society seem quaint and odd on the one hand and, on the other, petty and regressive.
  2. A contributing factor to this slightly regressive femininity may have been the sugary fabrics (silver lamé, tulle over sequins) and the meringuelike puffs and baby Googums bows at the neck.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin regressīvus, equivalent to regress + -ive.

Antonyms

progressive

This word in other languages

régressif(Français)regressiv(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as:

  • ergressive
  • regerssive
  • reggressive
  • regresisve
  • regresive
  • regressiev
  • regressivve
  • regressvie
  • regrressive
  • regrsesive
  • rergessive
  • rgeressive
  • rregressive

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of regressive - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

ergressive2regerssive2reggressive1regresisve2regresive1regressiev2regressivve1regressvie2
Edit distance from "regressive"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "regressive"?
"regressive" is spelled R-E-G-R-E-S-S-I-V-E.
What does "regressive" mean?
As an adjective, "regressive" means: That tends to return, revert or regress.
What words are commonly confused with "regressive"?
"regressive" is commonly confused with "repressive", "recessive", "regression". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
What is the origin of the word "regressive"?
Borrowed from Latin regressīvus, equivalent to regress + -ive. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Similar English words by spelling shape

Same letter count and similar misspelling depth for "regressive", not the corpus desk frequency band.

Same letter count

Frequency-ranked English headwords with 10 letters (nearest by frequency rank).

polymerase#30,540sisterhood#30,586plasticity#30,538pathogenic#30,531

Similar misspelling depth

Headwords with a similar count of attested misspellings (13 here; floor ≥5).

rumbling13 variantsSandusky13 variantsplayfully13 variantssketched13 variants

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list