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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in degeneration
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of atrophy
Thomas Drance, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Without the constant pull of gravity on the skeleton, muscle and bone can quickly atrophy.
—Katia Riddle, NPR, 9 Apr. 2026
Tharin Pillay, Time, 4 May 2026
There are systemic diseases which are now being addressed, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and there are approvals now for [gene therapies for] spinal muscular atrophy and some forms of hemophilia.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Verb
Marcus Pettersson Pettersson’s form, as is typical for most non-play driving defensive defencemen as the health of a wider two-way environment atrophies, has looked poor for long stretches of this season.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Without the constant pull of gravity on the skeleton, muscle and bone can quickly atrophy.
—Katia Riddle, NPR, 9 Apr. 2026
Noun
Anthropic’s study found that students, teachers, and academics were particularly likely to both report learning benefits and express concern about cognitive atrophy.
—Tharin Pillay, Time, 4 May 2026
There are systemic diseases which are now being addressed, such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and there are approvals now for [gene therapies for] spinal muscular atrophy and some forms of hemophilia.
—Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 4 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrophy
Verb
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As her health deteriorated, Amy's disciples were led to believe her death would herald a celestial exit, Heaven's Gate-style (via UFO), paving the way for society's salvation.—
James Mercadante,
Entertainment Weekly,
4 June 2026
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Even better, people taking the drug had about five more months before their quality of life deteriorated compared to those on chemotherapy.—
Lisa Jarvis,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
Noun
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In the book, Caputo’s initial pride and arrogance soon give way to a more contemplative spirit, followed by degeneration.—
Bob Goldsborough,
Chicago Tribune,
8 May 2026
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The research team noted that fatty degeneration of the muscle could be clearly seen on MRIs, as streaks of fat replace muscle fibers.—
Tom Gavin,
EverydayHealth.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His Democratic Party then went further by pushing a special counsel that could cancel the charges against him outright -- a move Lee declined to endorse or oppose publicly.—
Joohee Cho,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
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Writers and reporters at the conference are learning how to improve their coverage of topics, including changes to education at the federal and state levels, the use of artificial intelligence in schools, and declining enrollment.—
Kellye Lynn,
CBS News,
4 June 2026
Noun
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The global public square has been getting coarser for years, and social media has played a big part in the deterioration.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
1 June 2026
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The damage required removal of the affected portion in hopes of preventing further deterioration.—
Brian Unger,
CBS News,
1 June 2026
Verb
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Hyde has McCallany playing Detective Grimes, a haunted investigator descending into the decaying underbelly of a crumbling metropolis while hunting a brutal serial killer.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
1 June 2026
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They were set in crumbling castles and moldering dungeons—that is, amid the rubble of a collapsing social order.—
Becca Rothfeld,
New Yorker,
1 June 2026
Noun
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The 1970s were an evolutionary step for global science fiction films, with some of the most pivotal and game-changing releases helping to expand the genre by addressing environmental issues, political unrest, technology anxiety, societal decay, and existential questions of life and death.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
29 May 2026
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Protects against rot and water infiltration, reducing the risk of weakening, structural failure, and decay.—
Timothy Dale,
The Spruce,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Several years ago, during a medical emergency of my own, I had already been evaluated by a physician and advised to seek emergency care if my symptoms worsened.—
Iyesatta Massaquoi Emeli,
STAT,
2 June 2026
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This is every summer, right now, for the 200,000 people who live here — a public health emergency that is worsening with the global climate crisis and exacerbated even further by an onslaught of irresponsible development.—
Daniela Flores,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 June 2026
Noun
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This weakening of currency, combined with inflated jet fuel prices, has also led to one of the country’s major airlines, Air India, to cancel more than a quarter of its international flights between June and August.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
28 May 2026
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Wall Street’s primary concern is competition from Anthropic and OpenAI weakening demand and pricing power for its customer relationship management software, which for years drove robust growth at high margins.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atrophy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrophy. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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