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
Doug McIntyre, Oc Register, 31 Aug. 2025
The brain injury caused cerebral atrophy and a glial scar, which led to the boy's brain being significantly undeveloped, according to court documents.
—Arkansas Online, 25 Aug. 2025
Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 26 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
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Verb
If it’s not exercised, left to right, top to bottom, atrophy sets in.
—Doug McIntyre, Oc Register, 31 Aug. 2025
The brain injury caused cerebral atrophy and a glial scar, which led to the boy's brain being significantly undeveloped, according to court documents.
—Arkansas Online, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
The real-life consequences of automation atrophying human critical skills are already well-established.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 26 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
See All Example Sentences for atrophy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrophy
Verb
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In San Francisco, a development called Hunters View built in 1956 to provide temporary workforce housing was still inhabited and badly deteriorating by the early 2000s.—
Jeffrey Steele,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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But the relations have deteriorated significantly since the start of the war in Gaza, with Israeli officials voicing growing anger at Qatar, accusing the government of harboring Hamas and not putting enough pressure on it to agree to a ceasefire.—
Oren Liebermann,
CNN Money,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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And, based on MRI scans taken at the beginning and end of the study, the intervention group appeared to have slower degeneration of cartilage in their knees.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Sep. 2025
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The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration describes FTD as a group of brain disorders caused by degeneration of the frontal and/or temporal lobes of the brain that affect behavior, language and movement, according to The Associated Press.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Ross, one of the Democrats to decline AIPAC money, is a relative centrist, according to a GovTrack scorecard, while Foushee and McGarvey, Kentucky’s only House Democrat, are in the middle of the pack ideologically.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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That has declined over the years because of budget constraints.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Biglari was particularly critical of the company’s store-level deterioration.—
Lily Mae Lazarus,
Fortune,
18 Sep. 2025
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While StubHub stock could rise at the IPO – especially if the offering is oversubscribed – consumer backlash, regulatory pressure, competitive threats, and profitability deterioration make $STUB particularly risky.—
Peter Cohan,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Anger has been brewing in the Himalayan nation for years about the country’s worsening youth unemployment and lack of economic opportunities, exacerbated by what many view as a growing disparity between the country’s elite and regular people.—
Sugam Pokharel,
CNN Money,
12 Sep. 2025
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Pink Light takes the inspiring sports drama genre, where athletes have to overcome obstacles in their sport and personal lives, in a new direction as Browne tackles the worsening debate around trans athletes in the media and political spaces.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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To determine if a root canal is needed, dentists conduct a thorough exam, often with X-rays, to evaluate decay, damage and the tooth’s internal condition.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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Its alignment with figures like North Korea’s Kim Jong Un symbolizes the isolation and reputational decay of a regime that relies on coercion rather than consent.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
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However, the timing of Wong and Ballmer's investments—and the urgency that Aspiration reportedly felt to continue paying Leonard even as the rest of the business crumbled—raises eyebrows.—
Bryan Toporek,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
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These figures are in pass protection, meaning that the line has crumbled under pass rushers pretty often with Burrow taking snaps.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Inflammation can cause vascular disease — the narrowing, weakening or even blockage of blood vessels — that can damage organs such as the kidneys, lungs, liver and of course the brain.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
15 Sep. 2025
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Hurricane center forecasters said additional weakening is expected during the next few days, with Kiko moving toward the west-northwest around 14 mph.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Atrophy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrophy. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.
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