degradation
noun
deg·ra·da·tion
ˌde-grə-ˈdā-shən 
1
: the act or process of degrading
environmental degradation
the gradual degradation of organic matter
… nothing infuriates the female students more than the degradation of women that is associated with male sports …—
Scott Stossel
Scott Stosselsuffer the degradations of poverty and abuse
2
a
: decline to a low, destitute, or demoralized state
shocked by the hopeless degradation of the "poor whites"—Edith Wharton
Edith WhartonSome houses are found spotless, others in a wretched degradation …—Paul Reyes
Paul Reyes
b
: moral or intellectual decadence : degeneration
educated him in the bestiality and degradation that war brings—Drew Middleton
Drew MiddletonExamples of degradation in a Sentence
English teachers bemoaning the degradation of the language that e-mail and instant messaging have allegedly brought about.
the belief that moral degradation is an unmistakable sign of a nation in decline
Recent Examples on the Web
Warming is also altering rain patterns, accelerating droughts, facilitating the spread of devastating diseases like pod rot, and contributing to soil degradation.
—Ayurella Horn-Muller, WIRED, 22 Feb. 2025
Finding the right chemistry The degradation of battery performance is largely a matter of its key components gradually dropping out of use within the battery.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2025
Space radiation can further exacerbate this effect; experiments by the European Space Agency have found evidence of cartilage degradation in astronauts who spent four to six months on the International Space Station (ISS).
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 19 Feb. 2025
Hoes were still used in great numbers across the plantation system through the nineteenth century, but they’d been degraded as tools, paralleling the degradation of those forced who wielded them.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degradation
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Ayurella Horn-Muller, WIRED, 22 Feb. 2025
Finding the right chemistry The degradation of battery performance is largely a matter of its key components gradually dropping out of use within the battery.
—John Timmer, Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2025
Space radiation can further exacerbate this effect; experiments by the European Space Agency have found evidence of cartilage degradation in astronauts who spent four to six months on the International Space Station (ISS).
—Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 19 Feb. 2025
Hoes were still used in great numbers across the plantation system through the nineteenth century, but they’d been degraded as tools, paralleling the degradation of those forced who wielded them.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degradation
Cite this Entry
“Degradation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/degradation. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
degradation
noun
deg·ra·da·tion
ˌdeg-rə-ˈdā-shən
1
a
: a reduction in rank, dignity, or standing
b
: removal from office
2
: loss of honor or reputation
Medical Definition
degradation
noun
deg·ra·da·tion
ˌdeg-rə-ˈdā-shən
: change of a chemical compound to a less complex compound
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