1
as in deterioration
a change to a lower state or level
the organization's degeneration from a movement for political reform to just another political party
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weakening
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
the troubling degeneration of his memory since he reached middle age
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in degradation
a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior
the general degeneration that characterized so many old mining towns, which had only drinking and gambling for entertainment
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of degeneration
Muscle degeneration occurs when one of those genes is mutated (a change in DNA sequence).
—
Laura Campedelli, Verywell Health, 30 July 2024
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
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
Moral degeneration accompanies the physical; lying is one of the outstanding characteristics, probably due to lack of moral equilibrium.
—Wade Davis, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degeneration
Laura Campedelli, Verywell Health, 30 July 2024
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
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
Moral degeneration accompanies the physical; lying is one of the outstanding characteristics, probably due to lack of moral equilibrium.
—Wade Davis, Rolling Stone, 6 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degeneration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degeneration
Noun
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Perry confirmed the system’s deterioration at the council’s May 28 meeting.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 July 2025
-
Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature shall match the old in design, color, texture, and other visual qualities and, where possible, materials.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
9 July 2025
Noun
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Despite being lightweight, the weeder is built with durability in mind and has a rust-resistant coating that protects it from corrosion and degradation over time.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
7 July 2025
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The drive shafts were assembled with a lubricant that accelerates degradation of the drive shafts’protective coating, increasing the susceptibility to damage from road debris, according to the recall report.—
James Powel,
USA Today,
7 July 2025
Noun
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These adjustment to scheduling, along with staffing changes and dining revenue declines, are impacting not just Jack Fry's, but the entire Louisville restaurant economy.—
Amanda Hancock,
The Courier-Journal,
26 July 2025
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His approval rating among independents has sunk to 29%, on par with his lowest-ever rating among these voters and a decline of 17 points since January.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
25 July 2025
Noun
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The decay of marketing effects varies by channel, audience, creative, season and competitive context.—
Cody Greco,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
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Although abrupt, the decision follows years of concern about the decay of U.S. Antarctic scientific infrastructure, exacerbated by hesitations from both agencies about starting big new projects in the face of ongoing federal budget uncertainty.—
Nadia Drake,
Scientific American,
22 July 2025
Noun
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Check if the customer database can be fully restored within a 24-hour recovery time after simulated data corruption.—
AllBusiness,
Forbes.com,
24 July 2025
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Democrats had controlled the White House from 1933 until 1952, when Republican Dwight Eisenhower, a World War II leader who promised to end the Korean War and to uproot corruption in Washington, beat their lackluster presidential candidate, Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson.—
Time,
Time,
23 July 2025
Noun
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Where corporate criminal investigations resolve without filing any criminal charges (through a declination or deferred prosecution agreement), companies should expect victims to still voice their views loudly to the Justice Department and beyond.—
Lisa Zornberg,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
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The changing declination also defines the daily arc that the sun takes across the sky, thereby accounting for the length of daylight.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
6 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Degeneration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degeneration. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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