retroactive

adjective/ˌrɛtroʊˈæktɪv/

Frequency rank: #14,114 most common English word

Meaning

taking effect from a date in the past, before the law or rule was officially made.

Illustration for the English word “retroactive”

Example sentence

The new tax law is retroactive to the beginning of the year, so everyone must recalculate their payments.

Synonyms & related words

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