as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
in the years following the closing of the last textile mill, the town atrophied
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in degeneration
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of atrophy
Lydia Depillis, New York Times, 30 May 2024
Rodriguez said the fingers on his right hand weren’t working properly, his muscles twitched, and his right hand atrophied.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 7 May 2024
Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
Moreover, extensive use of technology could be detrimental to human operators’ skills and knowledge, which might atrophy if not regularly exercised.
—Vikram Barhat, CNBC, 30 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for atrophy 
Verb
Over time, the federal government abandoned a policy of managing production to support prices, prompting growers to become more export-oriented while local distribution networks atrophied.
—Lydia Depillis, New York Times, 30 May 2024
Rodriguez said the fingers on his right hand weren’t working properly, his muscles twitched, and his right hand atrophied.
—Edward Lee, Baltimore Sun, 7 May 2024
Noun
The following year, Willis was also diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, or FTD, a brain disorder in which lobes atrophy and shrink.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
Moreover, extensive use of technology could be detrimental to human operators’ skills and knowledge, which might atrophy if not regularly exercised.
—Vikram Barhat, CNBC, 30 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for atrophy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrophy
Verb
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But with the current war, the humanitarian situation in the camp has deteriorated, leading to the official confirmation of famine in August.Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 21 Dec. 2024
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The service said travel conditions could deteriorate enough to slow traffic, and evening commutes would be affected.Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 20 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Overweight or obese cats are more exposed to the risk of diseases like cancer, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, hypertension, osteoarthritis and faster degeneration of affected joints, and urinary bladder stones, as well as anesthetic complications.Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 24 Dec. 2024
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New hope for patients with spinal cord injuries or degeneration Each year, up to half a million people worldwide suffer a spinal cord injury—and countless others are impacted by the devastating effects.NBC Universal, NBC News, 7 July 2023
Verb
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Last year marked the seventh consecutive year of declining births, despite the relaxation of China's one-child policy to allow two children in 2016 and three in 2021.Tom Rogers, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
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In any case, a company with declining revenues, earnings and free cash flow may not even be able to sustain its current dividend, let alone grow it to keep pace with future inflation.Michael Khouw, CNBC, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The noun is used to describe the deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state, sometimes seen a symptom of consuming too much material, specifically online content.Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024
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The events after injecting the substance turn into a battleground as Elisabeth’s disregard for the rules governing her and Sue’s shared body required to coexist leads to her deterioration.Robert Lang, Deadline, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Yet heroin insinuated the lives of Stein and Harry at the peak of their success in the early 1980s, and the group’s fortunes faded as the addiction worsened.Jem Aswad, Variety, 17 Dec. 2024
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In fact, a 2016 study found that blue light worsened migraine pain.Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Brain rot is thus a strikingly capacious term, enfolding the psychological and cognitive decay wrought by screen addiction, the bacteria-like content that feeds the addiction, and the argot of a generation for whom much of this content is made.Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024
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In the early to mid 20th century, older adults quite commonly developed such severe dental decay, necessitating complete dental extractions followed by dentures by the 7th or 8th decades of life.Nina Shapiro, Forbes, 3 Dec. 2024
Verb
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His boss, Herr Knock (Simon McBurney), dispatches him to Orlok’s castle so that the Count can buy a crumbling old pile in Germany.Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 24 Dec. 2024
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Roasted or sautéed garlic can add a savory depth, fresh or dried herbs can add complexity, freshness, and pops of color, grated cheese can add an indulgent finish, and crumbled bacon can add a salty kick and textural contrast.Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 24 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Across the Middle East and North Africa, many revolutions have overthrown autocrats, only for those countries to descend back into chaos or a more oppressive rule.NPR, NPR, 13 Dec. 2024
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Blinken met Friday with Turkey's foreign minister following discussions with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, aiming to bring Turkey into a broader consensus to prevent Syria from descending further into chaos.Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 13 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near atrophy
Cite this Entry
“Atrophy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrophy. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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