retarded: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumVery Informal / Taboo / Offensive (when referring to people); Technical (in specific scientific contexts).
Quick answer
What does “retarded” mean?
Adjective: Describing something that is delayed or significantly hindered in its development, progress, or speed.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Adjective: Describing something that is delayed or significantly hindered in its development, progress, or speed.
Historically, a medical term for intellectual disability; now widely considered a pejorative slur when referring to people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. Can still be used neutrally in specific technical contexts (e.g., engineering, chemistry) to mean delayed or slowed.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal. Both varieties recognize the word as a severe slur when used pejoratively and retain limited technical usage.
Connotations
Identically strong negative and offensive connotations in both varieties when used outside specific technical jargon.
Frequency
Frequency of pejorative use is declining in both due to increased awareness of its offensiveness. Technical use remains stable but niche.
Grammar
How to Use “retarded” in a Sentence
be retardedbecome retardedseverely retardeddevelopmentally retardedVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “retarded” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The cold weather retarded the growth of the crops.
- Adding the inhibitor retarded the chemical reaction.
American English
- Poor funding retarded the project's progress.
- The treatment is designed to retard the disease's spread.
adjective
British English
- The technician adjusted the retarded ignition timing.
- Use of the term 'retarded' in a pejorative sense is unacceptable.
American English
- The flame-retarded fabric met safety standards.
- His views on the subject are severely retarded.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Extremely rare and inappropriate.
Academic
Only in historical medical contexts or specific technical fields (e.g., 'retarded cement'). Largely replaced by 'intellectual disability'.
Everyday
Taboo. Its use as an insult is widely condemned.
Technical
Acceptable in precise engineering or scientific terminology (e.g., 'flame-retarded polymer', 'retarded timing').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “retarded”
- Using it as a casual synonym for 'stupid' or 'foolish' without awareness of its offensive impact.
- Believing technical usage justifies its general use.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. It is a deeply offensive slur that demeans people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Use person-first language like 'a person with an intellectual disability' or 'a person with learning difficulties'.
In fields like engineering or chemistry, it describes inanimate processes (e.g., slowing a reaction) without referencing human characteristics, thus avoiding the pejorative association.
Yes. It moved from a neutral medical term in the early 20th century to a pejorative insult in the late 20th/21st century, prompting formal changes in medical and legal terminology.
Adjective: Describing something that is delayed or significantly hindered in its development, progress, or speed.
Retarded is usually very informal / taboo / offensive (when referring to people); technical (in specific scientific contexts). in register.
Retarded: in British English it is pronounced /rɪˈtɑːdɪd/, and in American English it is pronounced /rɪˈtɑːrdɪd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly. Avoids idiomatic use due to offensiveness.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: RE (again) + TARDY (late) = made late again -> delayed.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROGRESS IS FORWARD MOTION / DEVELOPMENT IS A JOURNEY; therefore, being 'retarded' is being held back on that journey.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the use of 'retarded' generally considered acceptable?