atrophied
adjective
at·ro·phied
ˈa-trə-fēd 
-ˌfīd
1
: having wasted away or decreased in size (as from disease or disuse)
Astronauts and test animals have returned to Earth with atrophied muscles …—
Ivan Amato
Ivan Amato2
: having progressively declined or weakened
Growing responsibilities in the Balkans and Africa, coinciding with reserves in Angola and signs of trouble in Cambodia, may soon limit the organization's eagerness and ability to take on new challenges in atrophied states.—Ronald K. McMullen et al.
Ronald K. McMullen et al.… America's atrophied shipyards struggle to produce a next-generation ballistic missile submarine …—Kyle Balzer and Brady Africk
Kyle Balzer and Brady AfrickExamples of atrophied in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But by the end of the twentieth century, after a consolidation spree, the sinewy mega- chains now held all the power, and could bully the atrophied publishing industry with the risk of returning huge orders to the houses.
—Literary Hub, 25 Nov. 2025
As lockdowns lifted, there were numerous reports of people feeling anxious about their atrophied social skills.
—Lamorna Ash, The Dial, 25 Nov. 2025
This explained the atrophied organs.
—Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2025
And although its defense sector atrophied after Ukrainian independence in 1991, Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 jump-started that industrial base again.
—Ivo H. Daalder, Foreign Affairs, 10 Sep. 2025
Rising seas now flush the atrophied wetlands with saltwater, withering their weakened root systems.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
The announcement also looks to take advantage of California’s atrophied news media landscape.
—Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2025
The Coldplay public humiliation is a cautionary tale of atrophied American privacy.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2025
By using acupuncture to stimulate atrophied muscles, veterinarians can start to reverse this process.
—Joe Smith, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2025
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Literary Hub, 25 Nov. 2025
As lockdowns lifted, there were numerous reports of people feeling anxious about their atrophied social skills.
—Lamorna Ash, The Dial, 25 Nov. 2025
This explained the atrophied organs.
—Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2025
And although its defense sector atrophied after Ukrainian independence in 1991, Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022 jump-started that industrial base again.
—Ivo H. Daalder, Foreign Affairs, 10 Sep. 2025
Rising seas now flush the atrophied wetlands with saltwater, withering their weakened root systems.
—Nathaniel Rich, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
The announcement also looks to take advantage of California’s atrophied news media landscape.
—Liam Reilly, CNN Money, 4 Aug. 2025
The Coldplay public humiliation is a cautionary tale of atrophied American privacy.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2025
By using acupuncture to stimulate atrophied muscles, veterinarians can start to reverse this process.
—Joe Smith, The Conversation, 29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Atrophied.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/atrophied. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
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