degradation

noun

deg·ra·da·tion ˌde-grə-ˈdā-shən

Synonyms of degradation next

: 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

suffer the degradations of poverty and abuse

: decline to a low, destitute, or demoralized state

shocked by the hopeless degradation of the "poor whites"—

Edith Wharton

Some houses are found spotless, others in a wretched degradation …—

Paul Reyes

: moral or intellectual decadence : degeneration

educated him in the bestiality and degradation that war brings—

Drew Middleton

degradative

ˈde-grə-ˌdā-tiv

adjective

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 The Wildlife Conservation Society, the government, and locals worked together to reduce habitat degradation and human-wildlife conflict. —

Cameron Pugh, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Sep. 2023 Earlier this year, Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer surveyed 20 railroad properties around the city, finding 16 of them suffered from varying degrees of degradation. —

Jake Zuckerman, cleveland, 5 Sep. 2023 At the same time, the port authority is potentially funneling millions more to developments that could result in significant wetland degradation. —

Leia Larsen, The Salt Lake Tribune, 18 Aug. 2023 Researchers believe water degradation due to soil runoff and other pollutants are part of the problem hellbenders face in the state. —

The Indianapolis Star, 17 Aug. 2023 The degradation of several key figures, such as Dee Barnes, who was assaulted by Dr. Dre, and Sister Souljah, demonized by President Bill Clinton, are important pit stops. —

Nicholas Bell, Spin, 16 Aug. 2023 Backers cite changing climate, the loss of animal species and the degradation of the hillsides. —

Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2023 This type of pollution is generated by humans and is a form of environmental degradation. —

Gabriella Sotelo, Treehugger, 26 July 2023 Improper storage may lead to degradation or oxidation, resulting in an unpleasant taste. —

Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 29 Aug. 2023 See More

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.