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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of atrophy
IEEE Spectrum, 29 Nov. 2011
Many of the mechanisms that had previously assisted in mediating tensions between NATO and Russia, such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and various arms-control forums, have atrophied or been allowed to dissolve.
—Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs, 18 Feb. 2025
Keith Cooper, Space.com, 3 Feb. 2025
Perry, the 30-year-old donkey, fought pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, laminitis, arthritis and muscle atrophy leading up to his death.
—Krystal Nurse, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Verb
Thanks to automation, which had taken over many of their routine tasks, some of their skills had atrophied.
—IEEE Spectrum, 29 Nov. 2011
Many of the mechanisms that had previously assisted in mediating tensions between NATO and Russia, such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and various arms-control forums, have atrophied or been allowed to dissolve.
—Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs, 18 Feb. 2025
Noun
Muscle atrophy is a common ailment that astronauts must face off, although drugs have been shown to lessen its effects, and recent research has found that microgravity can also damage astronauts' eyesight.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 3 Feb. 2025
Perry, the 30-year-old donkey, fought pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction, laminitis, arthritis and muscle atrophy leading up to his death.
—Krystal Nurse, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrophy
Verb
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Israel-Turkey relations deteriorated in 2010 after Israeli naval commandos intercepted a humanitarian flotilla attempting to breach the blockade on the Gaza Strip.—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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The ministry said that due to the sweeping tariffs imposed by the U.S., as well as the U.S.-China trade war, the growth outlook for both the U.S. and China will deteriorate.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The Ziegfeld Ballroom sparkled as the stars aligned—both in the sky and in the room—to raise critical funds for families affected by frontotemporal degeneration (FTD).—
Vogue,
Vogue,
6 Apr. 2025
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However, researchers have found that a slow neurological degeneration occurs in the disease, partially independent of inflammation.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
6 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The hospital declined to say whether Ikner was one of their patients.—
Dalia Faheid,
CNN Money,
19 Apr. 2025
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County officials declined to comment on the civil lawsuit.—
USA Today,
USA Today,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Submersible visits over the years have shown an increase in its deterioration, with rust and microorganisms eating away at the ship's metal. Dives over more than a decade have shown the ship is falling apart.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2025
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That could mean that rate cuts are pushed off until much later this year or even delayed until next year if that deterioration takes time to materialize.—
Colby Smith,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Eventually, those with ALS often experience trouble talking, walking, and swallowing, and the symptoms worsen over time.—
Charisma Madarang,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2025
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Rolling back rules will take time, but America’s air quality could worsen in the interim.—
Zoë Schlanger,
The Atlantic,
9 Apr. 2025
Noun
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One hundred and thirteen years later, much of the great vessel — and what’s left of its splendors — remains in the same spot it was found four decades ago in 1985, though decay and human interference have changed its form over time.—
Nicole Briese,
People.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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Water fluoridation has been proven to be so effective at preventing tooth decay that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) named it one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, a time during which Americans' life expectancies rose by 30 years.—
Hannah Yasharoff,
USA Today,
13 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The pitching staff began to crumble beneath a lack of reliable depth.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
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Both gentlemen were trying to win their first Green Jacket. DeChambeau crumbled while McIlroy had a rollercoaster kind of day, prevailing to win The Masters and complete the career grand slam.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Air enters through these grilles, descends vertically some 30 feet (10 meters) and then passes horizontally over four massive swimming pool size water baths, each with a maximum depth of 6.5 feet (two meters).—
Tom Mullen,
Forbes.com,
20 Apr. 2025
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In an era when political discourse so often descends into outrage and division — on cable news, in Congress, even in school board races — the quiet decency shown in Skokie feels all the more remarkable.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Atrophy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrophy. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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