retrospective: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Formal to neutral. Common in academic, legal, business, and artistic contexts.
Quick answer
What does “retrospective” mean?
Looking back on or dealing with past events.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Looking back on or dealing with past events.
An exhibition or compilation showing an artist's or institution's work over a period of time. A law or effect applied to past actions or events.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. The noun sense for an art exhibition is common in both. Legal sense ('retrospective law') is formal in both.
Connotations
Neutral in both. Suggests analysis, assessment, or commemoration.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in written, formal contexts in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “retrospective” in a Sentence
A retrospective of [artist's work]In retrospectTo look back on something retrospectivelyA retrospective law [that applies to past events]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “retrospective” in a Sentence
noun
British English
- The BFI is holding a Hitchcock retrospective next month.
- Passing the law with retrospective effect was controversial.
American English
- The museum's retrospective of Georgia O'Keeffe broke attendance records.
- The court ruled the tax was unfair as it was a retrospective.
adjective
British English
- His retrospective regret was of little use.
- The gallery is hosting a retrospective exhibition of post-war British sculptors.
American English
- The report offered a retrospective analysis of the project's failures.
- She felt a retrospective sense of embarrassment about her old blog posts.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
We need a retrospective analysis of last quarter's sales figures to understand the drop.
Academic
The study employed a retrospective cohort design to examine the long-term effects.
Everyday
In a retrospective mood, she sorted through old photographs.
Technical
The software update included a retrospective fix for a security vulnerability discovered last year.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “retrospective”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “retrospective”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “retrospective”
- Using 'retrospective' to mean 'nostalgic' (it's more analytical).
- Confusing spelling: 'retrospective' NOT 'retro*active*' (though related).
- Using it as a synonym for 'old' or 'vintage'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Retrospective' is broader, meaning 'looking back'. 'Retroactive' (often used in law) specifically describes something (like a law or pay rise) applying to a period *before* it was enacted.
Yes. While it can involve analysing mistakes, it often has a neutral or celebratory tone, as in a 'retrospective exhibition' honouring an artist's career.
Very similar. 'In retrospect' is a fixed adverbial phrase ('In retrospect, it was a bad idea'). 'Retrospectively' is the standard adverb, often used in formal writing ('The data were analysed retrospectively').
A 'prospective' show or a 'preview' of new, often emerging, artists. The opposite concept is a 'survey' of current trends or a 'futures' exhibition.
Looking back on or dealing with past events.
Retrospective is usually formal to neutral. common in academic, legal, business, and artistic contexts. in register.
Retrospective: in British English it is pronounced /ˌrɛtrə(ʊ)ˈspɛktɪv/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌrɛtrəˈspɛktɪv/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “In retrospect”
- “With the benefit of hindsight”
- “A trip down memory lane (weaker, more informal)”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a car's REAR-view mirror (RETRO-) for looking back, and SPECTacles for seeing. A RETROSPECTIVE is like glasses for seeing the past clearly.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE PAST IS A PLACE/OBJECT TO BE SURVEYED (e.g., 'survey the past', 'view the past', 'examine past events'). TIME IS SPACE BEHIND US.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'retrospective' LEAST likely to be used?