Pronunciation: /ˌrɛ.trəˈæk.tɪv/
noun a retroactive law or provision
A1 I didn't realize there was a retroactive on the contract.
A2 The retroactive in the new law will affect many people.
B1 The company decided to make the pay raise retroactive to the beginning of the year.
B2 The retroactive payment for overtime was a pleasant surprise.
C1 The retroactive changes to the tax code caused confusion among taxpayers.
C2 The retroactive application of the new policy raised legal concerns.
adjective relating to or affecting things that have happened in the past
A1 I didn't realize the new law was retroactive, so I had to pay a fine for something I did before it was passed.
A2 The company decided to give retroactive pay raises to all employees for the past year.
B1 The court ruled that the changes to the contract would not be retroactive and would only apply from the date of signing.
B2 The government announced a retroactive tax cut, meaning taxpayers would receive a refund for overpaid taxes from the previous year.
C1 The retroactive changes to the immigration policy caused confusion among those already in the country.
C2 The retroactive application of the new regulations led to legal challenges from businesses affected by the sudden change.
formal The new law will not be retroactive, meaning it will only apply to future cases.
informal They can't make the rule retroactive, that wouldn't be fair to those who already followed it.
slang It's like trying to pull a retroactive fast one on us, but we're not falling for it.
figurative Her apology felt like a retroactive attempt to fix things, but the damage was already done.
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