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
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
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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But just an hour later, the wife received a call from the home telling her that his condition had deteriorated and he was being sent to Hialeah Hospital.—
Kevin G. Hall,
Miami Herald,
7 Nov. 2025
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The judge said the missing video could have shown whether deputies or medical staff had checked on Schuck or ignored him as his condition deteriorated.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But the cut and crumbled cookies show off that color.—
Ann Taylor Pittman,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
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Earlier this month, parts of several properties’ backyards in the wealthy enclave of Rancho Palo Verdes, 25 miles south of Los Angeles, crumbled into the ocean due to a landslide.—
Giulia Carbonaro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Their fate worsened when star striker Barbra Banda, who was crowned NWSL Championship MVP last year, was injured during a mid-August match, ending her season.—
Tamerra Griffin,
New York Times,
8 Nov. 2025
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Its impact was worsened by clogged waterways in an already flood-prone area, and an apparent lack of understanding of early warnings, Bernardo Rafaelito Alejandro IV, deputy administrator for the Philippines Office of Civil Defense, told local media.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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There was even some shopping, as 1,200 loyal customers as well as shopkeepers, brand reps, socialites, models and some local officials descended on Bal Harbour Shops to commemorate the luxury center’s 60th anniversary.—
David Moin,
Footwear News,
6 Nov. 2025
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In the predawn hours of October 31, FBI agents descended on the Detroit suburb where the men lived and detonated smoke bombs before storming into their homes.—
Mark Morales,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Dillard's declined to comment for this article.—
Amir Mahmoud,
Arkansas Online,
9 Nov. 2025
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Owens’ attorney, Joshua Kolsrud, who is representing her in the criminal allegations involving Echard and, now, the Scottsdale man, declined to comment, citing her pending criminal trial, which is scheduled for January 2026.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Atrophied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrophied. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.
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