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
Over the past three decades, the defense industrial bases of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States have atrophied.
—
Gary Roughead, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 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
Gary Roughead, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 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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By the early 1960s, reforms in Angola had begun to stall as budgets were cut and conditions deteriorated, the museum website says.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
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But when the levees failed, thousands of people were trapped inside as supplies dwindled and conditions deteriorated quickly.—
Sarah Alegre,
FOXNews.com,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But the concept crumbled almost immediately before being thrown completely off track with Courtney Vandersloot’s season-ending injury.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
3 Sep. 2025
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Acquired to solidify the bridge to the closer, Helsley has crumbled in his first month as a Met.—
Tim Britton,
New York Times,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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There’s never a good time for bad news, but with RadarOnline reporting that the King’s health has worsened recently.—
Lizzie Lanuza,
StyleCaster,
5 Sep. 2025
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Heavy rains and leaky sewage pipes The causes of fecal bacteria in coastal and inland waters vary depending on the region, but in each case it's worsened by heavy rains and extreme weather events like hurricanes and tornadoes, experts said.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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When the Yankees returned two weeks later, cameras descended and seats filled, once again.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
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But more than 20,000 soldiers descended on Panama—far outnumbering the 4,500 thought to be in or on the way to the region.—
Ellie Cook
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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With four weeks of consistent use, our tester’s dark spots were diminished, and her skin looked even-toned and healthy.—
Esme Benjamin,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
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Now, with the rise of summaries and instant answers, their impact on driving actual site traffic has diminished.—
Noa Eshed,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Atrophied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrophied. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
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