regression

/rɪˈɡrɛʃən/
noun
  1. A return to a previous, less advanced, or worse state or condition.
    • The patient's regression surprised the doctors, as he had been doing so well.
    • After the summer break, many students show a regression in their math skills.
    • The country's regression into political instability worried its neighbors.
  2. In psychology, a defense mechanism in which a person reverts to behaviors from an earlier stage of development, especially under stress.
    • Some adults experience regression during times of extreme stress, acting childlike.
    • Under pressure, the child showed regression by starting to suck his thumb again.
    • The therapist explained that her client's regression was a normal response to trauma.
  3. In statistics, a method for modeling the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables.
    • Regression analysis helps economists understand how changes in interest rates affect spending.
    • The data scientist ran a regression to see which factors most influenced customer satisfaction.
    • The researcher used regression to predict house prices based on size and location.
What does "regression" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean