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At the end of the year, both introspection and retrospection are common. While introspection involves looking inward and taking stock of oneself, retrospection is all about recollecting and contemplating things that happened in the past. A look back at the history of the related adjective retrospective reveals that it retains a strong connection to its past; its Latin source is retrospicere, meaning “to look back at.” Retrospective can also be used as a noun referring to an exhibition that “looks back” at an artist’s work created over a span of years. Once you have retrospective and retrospection behind you, you can also add their kin retrospect and retro to your vocabulary, too.
Examples of retrospective in a Sentence
Angie Han, The Hollywood Reporter, 24 Apr. 2024
This exhibition is not merely a retrospective but a dynamic conversation between past and present, featuring contemporary pieces that trace the enduring legacy of Pop Art.
—Nel-Olivia Waga, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for retrospective 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retrospective.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Retrospective.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retrospective. Accessed 6 May. 2024.
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retrospective
1 of 2 adjective
retrospective
2 of 2 nounMedical Definition
retrospective
adjective
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retrospective
adjective
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