Phrase guide

in retrospect

prep_phrase · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

prep_phrase

Meaning 1

When looked back upon as a past event; as can be seen now, but not at the time.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • Near-synonym: retrospectively
  • Trying to expand the business into the Middle East was doomed to failure. In retrospect, we shouldn't have bothered.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: in hindsight, retrospectively

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: فِي وَقْت لَاحِق (fī waqt lāḥiq) — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Czech: zpětně viděno — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Danish: set i bakspejlet — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Danish: i retrospekt — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Finnish: jälkikäteen ajatellen — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Finnish: jälkikäteen ajateltuna — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Finnish: jälkikäteen tarkasteltuna — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • French: avec le recul — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • German: rückblickend — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • German: zurückblickend — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Greek: εκ των υστέρων (ek ton ystéron) — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Hebrew: בדיעבד (bedi'avád) — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Icelandic: þegar litið er til baka — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Icelandic: eftir á að hyggja — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Italian: col senno di poi — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Italian: a posteriori — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Italian: ripensandoci — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Norwegian Bokmål: i ettertid — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Norwegian Nynorsk: i ettertid — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Polish: z perspektywy czasu — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset
  • Swedish: i efterhand — as can be seen now but was not seen at the outset