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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in degeneration
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of atrophy
Byron Tau, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Now, 25 years later, the next generation of students have turned to AI—and education experts warn unrestricted use of the technology could atrophy critical thinking skills.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
Eric J. Nestler, STAT, 28 Apr. 2026
Without constant reinforcement, these muscles will atrophy, and when real tyranny arrives, the flabby citizen will be powerless to resist.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Verb
Language skills at the department are also atrophying.
—Byron Tau, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
Now, 25 years later, the next generation of students have turned to AI—and education experts warn unrestricted use of the technology could atrophy critical thinking skills.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 14 Mar. 2026
Noun
For example, certain psychiatric illnesses have been shown to cause atrophy, or shrinkage, of parts of the brain.
—Eric J. Nestler, STAT, 28 Apr. 2026
Without constant reinforcement, these muscles will atrophy, and when real tyranny arrives, the flabby citizen will be powerless to resist.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrophy
Verb
-
Over the course of the next hour, the weather deteriorated rapidly.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
14 May 2026
-
The warning underscores the deteriorating situation in Gaza.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
In the book, Caputo’s initial pride and arrogance soon give way to a more contemplative spirit, followed by degeneration.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
-
The research team noted that fatty degeneration of the muscle could be clearly seen on MRIs, as streaks of fat replace muscle fibers.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
McGrail says Janet declined and put an end to the evening.—
Peter Van Sant,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
-
Schoenbrun’s third feature, Teenage Sex & Death at Camp Miasma stars Einbinder as an enthusiastic young director who is tasked with resurrecting the Camp Miasma slasher franchise after years of subpar sequels and declining fandom.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
Prolonged vacancy has caused structural deterioration and the historic Centennial Hill neighborhood surrounding it faces pressure from development.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
20 May 2026
-
Long vacant, the building suffers from structural deterioration.—
Neda Ulaby,
NPR,
20 May 2026
Verb
-
A lot of the old ways and structures the industry was built around have shifted or crumbled.—
Josh Weiss,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
The mounting costs of Putin’s war on Ukraine have contributed to the nation’s shift, as Russians grapple with higher inflation, more taxes, crumbling infrastructure, tighter censorship, and myriad new restrictions.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
But more than a decade of decay and corruption scandals have created an infrastructure chokepoint.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
15 May 2026
-
Helium-4 is naturally produced in the mantle through the decay of uranium and thorium, so there’s a lot of it.—
Robin George Andrews,
Scientific American,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Airfares were already rising when Spirit Airlines shut down on May 2, and the loss of the discount carrier is expected to worsen the trend for travelers.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
19 May 2026
-
Foreign investors continue to be bearish on India due to weak earnings and the worsening economic impact from the rising global oil prices amid the conflict in the Middle East.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
These concerns have led to the weakening of the rupee against the dollar, sending it to record lows in recent days.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
13 May 2026
-
But the weakening of that regime weakens the proxies as well.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atrophy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrophy. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
