1
as in deterioration
a change to a lower state or level
English teachers bemoaning the degradation of the language that e-mail and instant messaging have allegedly brought about
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in corruption
a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior
the belief that moral degradation is an unmistakable sign of a nation in decline
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of degradation
Habitat degradation and destruction are the primary threats against the northeasterb bulrush, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy says.
—
Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 10 June 2026
For millennia, glacial ice and freezing temperatures protected Ötzi’s body — and microbes — from degradation and decay.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 8 June 2026
The thrusters ran continuously for up to 167 hours with no measurable degradation.
—Omar Kardoudi
june 05, New Atlas, 5 June 2026
Immediate freezing locks in nutrients and protects against degradation.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for degradation
Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 10 June 2026
For millennia, glacial ice and freezing temperatures protected Ötzi’s body — and microbes — from degradation and decay.
—Mindy Weisberger, CNN Money, 8 June 2026
The thrusters ran continuously for up to 167 hours with no measurable degradation.
—Omar Kardoudi
june 05, New Atlas, 5 June 2026
Immediate freezing locks in nutrients and protects against degradation.
—Jillian Kubala, Health, 5 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for degradation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degradation
Noun
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Oslo University Hospital on June 5 said Mette-Marit had been placed on a waiting list for a lung transplant after a significant deterioration in her health that likely gave her only a year left to live without the surgery.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
17 June 2026
-
That moment revealed profound psychiatric deterioration and human suffering.—
Justyna Rzewinski,
New York Daily News,
16 June 2026
Noun
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The polarizing organization trudged through a corruption trial and attempted to file for bankruptcy in the past decade.—
Stephen Gutowski,
Washington Post,
16 June 2026
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But there is a growing protest movement against the project, which is on public land and many Albanians view it as government corruption.—
Greg Dixon,
NPR,
16 June 2026
Noun
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The findings indicate that bird-watching and similar hobbies may support overall brain health, though researchers stop short of saying the activity definitively halts cognitive decline.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
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Earlier this year, a judge ordered the Bureau of Land Management to close roughly 2,000 miles of off highway vehicle trails in the western Mojave to reduce ongoing harm to the endangered desert tortoise, a keystone species of the local ecosystem whose numbers are in steep decline.—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
18 June 2026
Noun
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As InvestorPlace noted in February 2026, the theory behind Bitcoin as a safe haven was never wrong on its own terms — currency debasement, de-dollarization, and geopolitical conflict are exactly the conditions the asset was designed to benefit from.—
Jason Kirsch,
Forbes.com,
18 June 2026
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Bitcoin offers growth potential tied to adoption Like gold, Bitcoin is often viewed as a hedge against currency debasement because its supply is limited.—
Sharon Wu,
USA Today,
2 June 2026
Noun
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The Phillies, off to an even worse start at 9-19, relieved Rob Thomson of his managerial duties Tuesday, and with Cora’s declination, named bench coach Don Mattingly interim skipper.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
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The declinations came as the DOJ reassigned and cut prosecutors working on environmental cases.—
Ken B. Morales,
ProPublica,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Degradation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degradation. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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