as in deteriorated
to become worse or of less value
in the years following the closing of the last textile mill, the town atrophied
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Recent Examples of atrophied
These periods of wealth aligned with higher oil production, which has since atrophied.
—
Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
What if the act of getting back onstage becomes proof that the muscle has atrophied or that someone’s sense of humor got stuck a decade ago?
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
The story has gained ascendancy as a vehicle for understanding the world while the ability to interpret narrative has atrophied.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
At birth, Holc weighed 6 pounds, 6 3/4 ounces and suffered from hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a fatal heart defect in which the heart’s left chamber is missing or atrophied.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2025
The 2022 invasion reinvigorated a domestic defense industry that had atrophied beyond recognition since Soviet times.
—Tamar Jacoby, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
That episode drives home how deeply the oversight capacities of the American system have atrophied in its wake.
—Chris Lehmann, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
At the same time, the Nation’s nuclear fuel cycle infrastructure has severely atrophied, leaving the United States heavily dependent on foreign sources of uranium as well as uranium enrichment and conversion services.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 12 Aug. 2025
Murena's tablet pushed me to use Google Search—whose ads, AI, and seemingly arbitrary algorithms have atrophied its search experience in recent years—less.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 5 Aug. 2025
Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 9 Jan. 2026
What if the act of getting back onstage becomes proof that the muscle has atrophied or that someone’s sense of humor got stuck a decade ago?
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
The story has gained ascendancy as a vehicle for understanding the world while the ability to interpret narrative has atrophied.
—Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
At birth, Holc weighed 6 pounds, 6 3/4 ounces and suffered from hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a fatal heart defect in which the heart’s left chamber is missing or atrophied.
—Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2025
The 2022 invasion reinvigorated a domestic defense industry that had atrophied beyond recognition since Soviet times.
—Tamar Jacoby, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
That episode drives home how deeply the oversight capacities of the American system have atrophied in its wake.
—Chris Lehmann, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
At the same time, the Nation’s nuclear fuel cycle infrastructure has severely atrophied, leaving the United States heavily dependent on foreign sources of uranium as well as uranium enrichment and conversion services.
—Washington Examiner Staff, The Washington Examiner, 12 Aug. 2025
Murena's tablet pushed me to use Google Search—whose ads, AI, and seemingly arbitrary algorithms have atrophied its search experience in recent years—less.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrophied
Verb
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Even the city emblem right in front of City Hall is deteriorated.—
Steve Lopez,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
-
Mohammadi, who has been imprisoned in Zanjan Prison in the northwest since her arrest in December, was transferred last Friday to a local hospital after her health sharply deteriorated.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Walls crumbled and the roof collapsed.—
Zohreh Saberi,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
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Alaska Time would have awoken them as the north fjord wall crumbled just in front of the retreating tongue of the South Sawyer Glacier.—
Megan I. Gannon,
Scientific American,
6 May 2026
Verb
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After his condition worsened, he was medically evacuated to South Africa on April 27, where he is currently hospitalized in an intensive care unit.—
Melina Khan,
USA Today,
6 May 2026
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The turbines reportedly worsened air pollution problems around Memphis, and led to persistent protests against xAI's work in the region.—
Ashley Capoot,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
Verb
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And mere days before the art world descended on Venice for the preview week, the entire jury resigned, presumably related to their prior decision to exclude countries charged with crimes against humanity by the International Criminal Court, which would include both Israel and Russia.—
Leigh Anne Miller,
ARTnews.com,
7 May 2026
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But nothing has replaced the void left by mining, which, though dangerous and poorly paid, galvanized those who descended into the earth with working-class pride and purpose.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Kazarian declined to comment further on Friday afternoon.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
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The Padres placed Cruz on the restricted list in mid-March and have declined further comment.—
Alex Riggins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
9 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atrophied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrophied. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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