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 MiddletonExamples 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
Beyond infrastructure strain, our information environment also shows signs of degradation.
—ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2025
What is clear, McLean and others point out, is that even the degradation of American climate prediction capabilities poses significant risks to the U.S. economy, to national security and to the country’s leverage in the world.
—Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 24 Apr. 2025
Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee said in a statement that the rating change is not a result of the degradation of Washington’s governance.
—Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 24 Apr. 2025
All penguins face threats created by climate change, overfishing, pollution, and habitat degradation.
—Kelli Bender, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degradation
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.
ArsTechnica, 25 Apr. 2025
What is clear, McLean and others point out, is that even the degradation of American climate prediction capabilities poses significant risks to the U.S. economy, to national security and to the country’s leverage in the world.
—Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 24 Apr. 2025
Chief Financial Officer Glen Lee said in a statement that the rating change is not a result of the degradation of Washington’s governance.
—Lauren Irwin, The Hill, 24 Apr. 2025
All penguins face threats created by climate change, overfishing, pollution, and habitat degradation.
—Kelli Bender, People.com, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degradation
Cite this Entry
“Degradation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/degradation. Accessed 5 May. 2025.
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