retroactively
retroactively — 副詞
1. applying to a time in the past, so that a new law, rule, or payment also covers
追溯地
使法律或規定的效力回溯到較早的日期
applying to a time in the past, so that a new law, rule, or payment also covers things that happened before it was made
The new safety rule was applied retroactively to buildings finished last year.
新的安全規定被追溯適用到去年完工的建築。
passive: be applied retroactively to [things]
Kofi's company raised wages retroactively, paying staff extra for the past three months.
Kofi 的公司追溯調漲了薪資，補發員工過去三個月的差額。
retroactively with pay, covering a past period
The school changed its grading policy retroactively, affecting every test taken since September.
學校追溯修改了評分標準，影響到九月以來的每一場考試。
Esme feared the higher fee would apply retroactively to months she had already paid.
Esme 擔心較高的費用會追溯適用到她已經繳費的那幾個月。
The court ruled that the ban could not take effect retroactively against past contracts.
法院裁定這項禁令不得追溯適用於過去的合約。
- retrospectively
often interchangeable, but leans toward reviewing the past rather than legally back-dating an effect
- ex post facto
formal legal Latin; used specifically of laws that reach back to acts done before they existed
- prospectively
applying only from now forward, never to the past
用法筆記
Often passive (be applied/charged retroactively) and typically pairs with laws, taxes, pay rises, or official rulings rather than everyday actions.