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
Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
The idea that our human connections have atrophied over the past few years is by no means entirely wrong.
—Lily Scherlis, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Ross Lannon, 31, from Cornwall in the U.K., has a condition called spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
—Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Verb
Cassidy would appear to be a man yearning for an experience that gives meaning to his life, which seems to have atrophied, lost its significance.
—Deborah Treisman, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025
The idea that our human connections have atrophied over the past few years is by no means entirely wrong.
—Lily Scherlis, Harper's Magazine, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
In the medium term, reliance on AI will diminish our need and motivation to engage in cumbersome independent thought processes, potentially leading to cognitive atrophy in the long run.
—Cornelia C. Walther, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Ross Lannon, 31, from Cornwall in the U.K., has a condition called spinal muscular atrophy (SMA).
—Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrophy
Verb
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But the age and condition of the fleet could deteriorate further, even with an infusion of cash to buy new equipment, because the wait times are so long.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2025
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Fiscal Policy Without exception, the fiscal position of large countries, including the United States, as measured by government debt relative to GDP, deteriorated due to the impact of spending during the pandemic.—
Bill Stone,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2025
Noun
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Adkins, of Georgia, cared for her mother for a decade after her mom was diagnosed with frontotemporal degeneration dementia.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
22 May 2025
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Histological examination showed no signs of retinal degeneration, even in individuals likely several hundreds of years old.—
Melissa Cristina Márquez,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
Verb
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The April 11 ruling came during a hearing in Maryland, where a Justice Department attorney declined to provide basic details about Abrego Garcia’s whereabouts.—
Chantelle Lee,
Time,
7 June 2025
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Full-time workers declined by 623,000, while part-timers rose by 33,000.—
Jeff Cox,
CNBC,
6 June 2025
Noun
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They are then transported to the Berkhamsted conservation center, where their condition is examined for deterioration.—
Benny Har-Even,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
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Nationwide, the ramifications of deportation for these key citizens will affect all of us, which can lead to deterioration of our healthcare system, hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, home health aides, etc.—
Rachel Blumberg,
Sun Sentinel,
3 June 2025
Verb
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There are also mental health impacts with worsening anxiety, stress, and depression in the hotter summer months.—
Jamie Hailstone,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
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Relations have only worsened in recent years, as Beijing has leveraged its budding economic and military power to ramp up pressure on its neighbor.—
ELY RATNER,
Foreign Affairs,
27 May 2025
Noun
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Teeth grinding can also cause more cavities to occur as grinding teeth together strips them of some of the protective enamel that could otherwise prevent tooth decay.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
23 May 2025
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All water has some fluoride, but many cities and counties in the state add more to help prevent tooth decay.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
17 May 2025
Verb
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The strikes overwhelmed air defense systems, and the city was rife with fires burning, buildings crumbling, and other debris from the attacks.—
Christopher Tremoglie,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
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The myth that Medicaid is for 'someone else' is crumbling fast.—
Suzanne Blake,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 June 2025
Verb
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The intense setup here is fairly straightforward as these types of sci-fi mystery shows go, with Buenos Aires residents going about their evenings when a sudden nightmarish snowfall descends over the metropolis, killing millions indiscriminately.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
23 May 2025
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The American entrepreneur was one of the five passengers killed on June 18, 2023, while the compact submersible descended en route to the wreckage of the Titanic, and Rush is now in all the talking heads' crosshairs as the villain of this tragic story.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Atrophy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrophy. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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