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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in degeneration
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of atrophy
Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2025
The hippocampus is primarily responsible for memory and learning, and commonly shrinks, or atrophies, after a stroke.
—New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2025
Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
These lobes atrophy, and the shrinking of these areas can cause speech issues, emotional problems and changes in personality.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Verb
At birth, Holc weighed 6 pounds, 6 3/4 ounces and suffered from hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a fatal heart defect in which the heart’s left chamber is missing or atrophied.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2025
The hippocampus is primarily responsible for memory and learning, and commonly shrinks, or atrophies, after a stroke.
—New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2025
Noun
The specific area that cabbies bulk up is often the first to atrophy as Alzheimer’s strikes.
—Big Think, 29 Jan. 2026
These lobes atrophy, and the shrinking of these areas can cause speech issues, emotional problems and changes in personality.
—Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrophy
Verb
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For years, lawyers have alleged that inmates receive expired, undercooked or contaminated food, including spoiled meat and deteriorated dairy products.—
Michael Rios,
CNN Money,
26 Mar. 2026
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Now the war has turned into a race to stabilize the rapidly deteriorating global economic order, central to which is reopening the Strait of Hormuz.—
Sudarsan Raghavan,
New Yorker,
25 Mar. 2026
Noun
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James turned forty-one at the end of that month, an age at which many people start to notice the normal degeneration of their tendons and joints.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
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Researchers at Cedars-Sinai found traces of Chlamydia pneumoniae – a bacterium that's best known for causing respiratory infections – in the eye's retinal tissue, and higher levels of this pathogen correlated with advanced degeneration in Alzheimer’s disease patients.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Throughout the years-long investigation, Cherfilus-McCormick declined interview requests from the committee and provided little to no defense against the committee’s allegations.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
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Some declined to provide their full names, citing safety concerns.—
Eleanor Dearman,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
27 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Lifting them exposes the materials to rapid changes in pressure, temperature, and oxygen levels, which can accelerate deterioration or trigger instability.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Mar. 2026
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The dramatic move offers the latest evidence of the deterioration in relations between Lebanon and Iran.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Flores said the community continues to struggle with a range of problems, including poor air quality, high poverty rates, weak worker protections and crumbling infrastructure.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
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However, as the show begins, the family’s pristine facade is just on the verge of crumbling.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
22 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Furthermore, the robot avoids the inevitable performance decay seen in technologies such as solar panels or nuclear generators, ensuring a longer operational lifespan in the field.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
20 Mar. 2026
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Tooth decay can begin very early in a child’s life.—
Erika Edwards,
NBC news,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Burning more coal risks worsening smog in major cities, slowing the transition to renewable energy and increasing the region's planet-warming emissions.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 Mar. 2026
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The first of three ships carrying food, medical supplies, solar panels, and other humanitarian aid arrived in Cuba on Tuesday, three days behind schedule, as the island grapples with a worsening economic and energy crisis.—
Rena Rowe,
The Washington Examiner,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Another displacement or weakening of the polar vortex is underway, which can allow bursts of Arctic air to spill into the Midwest and Northeast at times, according to AccuWeather lead long-range meteorologist Paul Pastelok.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
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To be sure, Barclays acknowledged Nike’s turnaround still faces risks around tariffs, competition and a potential weakening in consumer spending tied to the Middle East conflict.—
Natasha Abellard,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atrophy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrophy. Accessed 27 Mar. 2026.
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