ATROPHY Synonyms: 94 Similar and Opposite Words

atrophy 1 of 2

verb

Definition of atrophy

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

atrophy

2 of 2

noun

as in degeneration

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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 atrophy

Verb

Building that processing infrastructure at commercial scale in the US involves not only capital expenditure but also workforce development in a sector where domestic technical expertise has atrophied. — Aditya Jadhav, Interesting Engineering, 25 May 2026 Employers, especially people who may not have taken time off themselves for care-giving responsibilities, don’t necessarily recognize that your skills are not atrophying. — Dr. Michelle Penelope King, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026

Noun

Patients typically develop difficulty swallowing, weak fingers and wrists, and atrophy of the forearms and thigh muscles. — Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026 Throughout the course of human spaceflight, astronauts have conducted research on anything from muscle atrophy in microgravity to the psychological effects of long-duration missions. — Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for atrophy

Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrophy

Verb

They can also be used for de-aging characters, creating performances in different languages, or preserving the voice or likeness of an actor whose health is deteriorating, as was the case with CAA client Eric Dane.

— Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 6 July 2026
Though concrete is a durable surface, concrete driveway repair is needed when the surface deteriorates and develops cracks over the years.

— Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 July 2026

Definition of deteriorate

Noun

The illness causes nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to die, leading to a degeneration of muscle control.

— Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026
The finding challenges long-standing anatomical assumptions and links spinal lymphatic dysfunction to neurological disorders and vertebral degeneration, reframing just how central this network is to whole-body health.

— Allison Palmer, Charlotte Observer, 29 June 2026

Definition of degeneration

Verb

Bogdanos declined the cash, which is instead being donated to nonprofits of his choosing.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2026
Even as remote work has declined from its pandemic highs, the data shows nearly 22% of workers still worked at least partly from home in 2025, only 1 percentage point less than the number who partly worked from home during the year prior.

— Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 9 July 2026

Definition of decline

Noun

But nothing competes with the painful deterioration of her sight after contracting scarlet fever.

— Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 3 July 2026
In addition, city officials can now require owners to install security measures to help protect vacant buildings from further deterioration or trespassing.

— Brian Maass, CBS News, 2 July 2026

Definition of deterioration

Verb

Throughout the album, mary in the junkyard shift constantly, moving from crumbling atmospheric experiments to cloudy Pacific Northwest indie rock to the kind of straightforward classical guitar poems of Leonard Cohen’s early albums.

— Sadie Sartini Garner, Pitchfork, 7 July 2026
An islandwide blackout plunged Cuba’s nearly 10 million residents into darkness Monday, exposing a crumbling power grid and dwindling fuel reserves as officials raced to restore electricity.

— Milexsy Durán, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026

Definition of crumble

Noun

Rather than arguing that hallucinations are the greatest threat, this article contends that the more significant long-term risk is human skill decay.

— Demetri Giannikopoulos, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
Significant rain can leave open trash cans soggy and soak any outdoor debris to the point of decay.

— Alora Bopray, USA Today, 8 July 2026

Definition of decay

Verb

The noise progresses to a rough grinding sound and performance worsens.

— Keith Laing, USA Today, 8 July 2026
Growing evidence suggests visible light, particularly high-energy visible (blue) light from sunlight, can worsen pigmentation in people prone to melasma and in those with darker skin tones.

— Angela Haupt, Time, 7 July 2026

Definition of worsen

Noun

Spongy or uneven surfaces are caused by structural weakening from internal damage.

— Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 July 2026
Press freedoms across Africa are already fragile, with most nations ranking in the lower half of an influential press freedoms index, while numerous recent coups have contributed to a weakening of democratic norms in parts of the continent.

— Jenny Vaughan, semafor.com, 29 June 2026

Definition of weakening

Browse Nearby Words

atrophies

atrophy

atrophying

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“Atrophy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrophy. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of atrophy

verb

noun

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