as in to deteriorate
to become worse or of less value
in the years following the closing of the last textile mill, the town atrophied
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in degeneration
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of atrophy
Tamar Jacoby, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
The real-life consequences of automation atrophying human critical skills are already well-established.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025
Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 11 Dec. 2025
Muscle atrophy can also increase your risk of falls, fractures and metabolic diseases.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Verb
The 2022 invasion reinvigorated a domestic defense industry that had atrophied beyond recognition since Soviet times.
—Tamar Jacoby, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025
The real-life consequences of automation atrophying human critical skills are already well-established.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2025
Noun
Zavala's father, Carlos Rodriguez Ortiz, said in a press briefing in September that his son was born with a spinal cord atrophy.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 11 Dec. 2025
Muscle atrophy can also increase your risk of falls, fractures and metabolic diseases.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrophy
Verb
-
The price of gold, long understood to be the investor’s refuge against a deteriorating dollar, is sounding an alarm.—
Bruce Yandle,
Twin Cities,
9 Jan. 2026
-
When those conditions are absent, performance deteriorates quickly.—
Katerin Le Folcalvez,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Joints exposed to the extract showed fewer signs of degeneration and better overall health than untreated controls.—
,
FOXNews.com,
28 Dec. 2025
-
Among this group, the drug has the potential to slow muscle degeneration by targeting SOD1 mRNA, genetic material that tells the body how to make proteins, and reduces the proteins being made.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
When asked about its plans, McDonald's declined to comment to Fox News Digital.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
-
Due to ongoing litigation, the airline declined to comment further.—
Marina Watts,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Footage of the bunker’s deterioration has attracted global attention after Robinson and Charlton began posting videos online.—
Kaif Shaikh,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Jan. 2026
-
It is intended to slow the deterioration of streets that currently are in good condition, which is considered vital to improving the overall condition of San Diego’s network of roads, according to the city.—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That criticism scene is where the Knausgaard/Kristian simulacrum begins to crumble.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
-
And behind every man with a good name and a crumbling pile, there’s a wife shrewdly attending to the seating plan.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Teeth become diseased with decay and resorptive lesions and, when removed, these cats often lead much happier and more comfortable lives.—
Dr. John De Jong,
Boston Herald,
11 Jan. 2026
-
These fission reactors relied on the slow decay of uranium to generate heat and electricity.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The city said the decision was a result of several years worth of mounting safety concerns, ordinance violations and residential complaints about the vacant structure’s worsening state.—
Anna Ortiz,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The immense costs associated with the program have only worsened the economic situation, leading to a more stifling environment.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Developers are divided about how much this signals a weakening of what has been a scorchingly hot market for new multifamily housing.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Affordability has become a potent political issue, especially with the job market weakening.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atrophy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrophy. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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