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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of atrophy
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
Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 2 Mar. 2026
Heart muscles atrophy, or weaken from disuse, in adults who spend prolonged times in the weightlessness of space.
—Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Verb
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
Noun
The atrophy of empathy has become such a fixture of the show’s emotional mechanism that watching this, my only reaction as an unconscious man was wheeled out of Harper’s office by paramedics was to laugh.
—Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 2 Mar. 2026
Heart muscles atrophy, or weaken from disuse, in adults who spend prolonged times in the weightlessness of space.
—Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrophy
Verb
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Despite his professional success, his home life deteriorates, particularly his relationship with his daughter.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 Apr. 2026
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The lawsuit says the hospital did not tell his family that Hylton’s condition had deteriorated and that he had been transferred to the ICU without a doctor on-site.—
Jen Christensen,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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Parkinson's is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of nerve cells, which become damaged and die, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.—
Mason Leib,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His parents declined to comment to reporters afterward.—
Jennifer Sinco Kelleher,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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The new listings, published Wednesday by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, cite factors such as warming ocean waters, melting sea ice and declining availability of food to sustain such species.—
Andrew Freedman,
CNN Money,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Still, any miscalculation or direct confrontation at sea could tip the diplomatic posturing into rapid deterioration and risk jeopardizing the fragile stability in the detente between Washington and Beijing.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
15 Apr. 2026
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Toss any berries showing signs of deterioration.—
Jessica Farthing,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Other signs warned of danger from crumbling masonry overhead, though there was none of the scaffolding that might accompany such notices.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
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The Mavericks have been out of the playoff race for weeks in a season that started with high expectations but crumbled with Anthony Davis' continuing injury issues and eventual trade to Washington.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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In the blasting afternoon sun, the stench of fermenting earth and decay steams off the marsh.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Apr. 2026
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Power from radioactive decay NRD claims the battery can deliver power outputs ranging from 5 nanowatts to 500 nanowatts.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Atmos says the rise reflects better detection and faster repairs, not worsening conditions.—
Lexi Salazar,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
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The crisis of American defense production has been slowly worsening since the start of the Russian invasion in Ukraine.—
Garrett M. Graff,
New Yorker,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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On Saturday, storm chances increase, especially west of DFW, but some weakening is possible as storms move east.—
Nelly Carreno,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
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The new business frontiers do not indicate a weakening in the AP’s standards of providing fast, accurate, non-biased news, leaders said.—
David Bauder,
Fortune,
6 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Atrophy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrophy. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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