degradation
noun
deg·ra·da·tion
ˌde-grə-ˈdā-shən 
1
: the act or process of degrading
environmental degradation
the gradual degradation of organic matter
… nothing infuriates the female students more than the degradation of women that is associated with male sports …—
Scott Stossel
Scott Stosselsuffer the degradations of poverty and abuse
2
a
: decline to a low, destitute, or demoralized state
shocked by the hopeless degradation of the "poor whites"—Edith Wharton
Edith WhartonSome houses are found spotless, others in a wretched degradation …—Paul Reyes
Paul Reyes
b
: moral or intellectual decadence : degeneration
educated him in the bestiality and degradation that war brings—Drew Middleton
Drew MiddletonSynonyms
Examples of degradation in a Sentence
English teachers bemoaning the degradation of the language that e-mail and instant messaging have allegedly brought about.
the belief that moral degradation is an unmistakable sign of a nation in decline
Recent Examples on the Web
Likewise, Arnow’s poignant and original performance—refined in its awkwardness, exalted in its degradation, touched with grace in its rude self-presentation—is a double masterwork of acting and directing.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2024
Habitat degradation, invasive species, infectious diseases and climate change have put many native animals in jeopardy and given Australia one of the worst rates of species loss in the world.
—Emily Anthes Chang W. Lee, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2024
Garland never explicates the real-life lead-up to civil destruction: corrupt pols who betray their constituents, the moral bankruptcy of society, the degradation of popular culture, and the temerity of rich journalists dedicated to whatever political power endows their privilege.
—Armond White, National Review, 12 Apr. 2024
The dongle connection provides clean audio with little noticeable degradation and low latency, which is ideal for gaming.
—Dua Rashid / Gizmodo, Quartz, 24 Mar. 2024
For instance, thanks to its relatively quick cooking time and lack of water, microwaving leads to less loss of vitamins A and C and less degradation of B1 and B6, a study in Frontiers in Nutrition found.
—Audrey Bruno, SELF, 27 Feb. 2024
As the company presses ahead with the expansion of its eucalyptus plantations, concerns have been raised around the consequences of large-scale monoculture practices, including depletion of water sources, land degradation, and adverse impacts on traditional communities.
—Angelica Mari, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Indeed, local communities and NGOs in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru are fighting Chinese companies, citing deforestation, water pollution, environmental degradation, and poor working conditions in their numerous legal complaints.
—Shannon K. O’Neil, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Along the route, repeaters are installed at intervals to amplify the optical signal and ensure data can travel long distances without degradation.
—Robin Chataut, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2024
Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2024
Habitat degradation, invasive species, infectious diseases and climate change have put many native animals in jeopardy and given Australia one of the worst rates of species loss in the world.
—Emily Anthes Chang W. Lee, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2024
Garland never explicates the real-life lead-up to civil destruction: corrupt pols who betray their constituents, the moral bankruptcy of society, the degradation of popular culture, and the temerity of rich journalists dedicated to whatever political power endows their privilege.
—Armond White, National Review, 12 Apr. 2024
The dongle connection provides clean audio with little noticeable degradation and low latency, which is ideal for gaming.
—Dua Rashid / Gizmodo, Quartz, 24 Mar. 2024
For instance, thanks to its relatively quick cooking time and lack of water, microwaving leads to less loss of vitamins A and C and less degradation of B1 and B6, a study in Frontiers in Nutrition found.
—Audrey Bruno, SELF, 27 Feb. 2024
As the company presses ahead with the expansion of its eucalyptus plantations, concerns have been raised around the consequences of large-scale monoculture practices, including depletion of water sources, land degradation, and adverse impacts on traditional communities.
—Angelica Mari, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024
Indeed, local communities and NGOs in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru are fighting Chinese companies, citing deforestation, water pollution, environmental degradation, and poor working conditions in their numerous legal complaints.
—Shannon K. O’Neil, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Along the route, repeaters are installed at intervals to amplify the optical signal and ensure data can travel long distances without degradation.
—Robin Chataut, The Conversation, 1 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'degradation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near degradation
Cite this Entry
“Degradation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/degradation. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
degradation
noun
deg·ra·da·tion
ˌdeg-rə-ˈdā-shən
1
a
: a reduction in rank, dignity, or standing
b
: removal from office
2
: loss of honor or reputation
Medical Definition
degradation
noun
deg·ra·da·tion
ˌdeg-rə-ˈdā-shən
: change of a chemical compound to a less complex compound
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share