adv · 2 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
US:/ˌɹɛtɹoʊˈæktɪvli/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:R EH2 T R OW0 AE1 K T IH0 V L IY0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adv
Meaning 1
Done after the fact; applying to events that have previously transpired.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: not-comparable
Examples
The new legislature passed a resolution retroactively legalizing the actions of the revolutionaries that brought them to power.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adverb
Meaning 2
after the fact
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he will get paid retroactively
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Etymology tree English retroactive Middle English -ly English -ly English retroactively From retroactive + -ly.
Across languages
Translations
19 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Catalan:
retroactivament
— done after the fact
Dutch:
met terugwerkende kracht
— done after the fact
Estonian:
tagasiulatuvalt
— done after the fact
Finnish:
takautuvasti
— done after the fact
French:
rétroactivement
— done after the fact
German:
rückwirkend
— done after the fact
Greek:
αναδρομικά
(anadromiká)
— done after the fact
Hebrew:
לְמַפְרֵעַ
(lemafréa)
— done after the fact
Hungarian:
visszamenőleg
— done after the fact
Hungarian:
visszamenőlegesen
— done after the fact
Irish:
go aisghníomhach
— done after the fact
Italian:
retroattivamente
— done after the fact
Norwegian Bokmål:
retroaktivt
— done after the fact
Norwegian Nynorsk:
retroaktivt
— done after the fact
