1
as in deterioration
a change to a lower state or level
English teachers bemoaning the degradation of the language that e-mail and instant messaging have allegedly brought about
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in corruption
a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior
the belief that moral degradation is an unmistakable sign of a nation in decline
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of degradation
Everything has been tested for quality over time, along with durability post-laundering to note any pilling or degradation over time.
—
Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 23 Sep. 2025
The one for the reel on which de Sanctis was working, for instance, told a sad story of degradation.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
According to the lead researcher Ernestine Lonpi Tipi, that period coincided with drought and the gradual degradation of forests, and subsequent scarcity of bushmeat.
—Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
Homosexuality can only ever be a degradation of manhood.
—Garth Greenwell, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degradation
Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 23 Sep. 2025
The one for the reel on which de Sanctis was working, for instance, told a sad story of degradation.
—Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
According to the lead researcher Ernestine Lonpi Tipi, that period coincided with drought and the gradual degradation of forests, and subsequent scarcity of bushmeat.
—Emmet Livingstone, NPR, 20 Sep. 2025
Homosexuality can only ever be a degradation of manhood.
—Garth Greenwell, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degradation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degradation
Noun
-
Mahama’s installations, which say something about societal deterioration, also dramatize the country’s inability to sustain robust funding in the arts or technology in its postindependence years.—
Edna Bonhomme,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Indeed, September’s deterioration doesn’t signal the first time the indicator has entered recession territory—it’s been there since February 2025—but marks a further step away from a healthy outlook over a prolonged period of time.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Miami’s corruption keeps us from solving our issues.—
Miami Herald Staff,
Miami Herald,
8 Oct. 2025
-
The section that investigates public corruption has been gutted, while the bureau's premier public corruption unit has been disbanded.—
Elena Moore,
NPR,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Treasury yields fell Wednesday after new data showed a surprise decline in private payrolls, while traders monitored the consequences of the government shutdown after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on the federal funding bill.—
Sean Conlon,Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The company may still boast one of Silicon Valley’s most storied names, but its staff, which numbered 96,000 as of the end of July, had worked for years through nearly uninterrupted decline, watching their company lose nearly all relevance.—
Lila MacLellan,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Presenting their findings in a lengthy declination memo, the prosecutors explicitly mentioned the two other investigations to bolster their recommendation that probable cause does not exist to charge Comey, according to sources familiar with the contents of the memo.—
Katherine Faulders,
ABC News,
6 Oct. 2025
-
On those three dates, variations in the moon's position relative to Earth's equator — particularly its declination — can influence tidal forces that subtly affect Earth's rotation rate.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Bailouts Government bailouts contribute to monetary debasement via the creation of new money, which dilutes the currency’s value and fuels inflation.—
Alex Pron,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Degradation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degradation. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share