as in deteriorating
to become worse or of less value
over the years the community-minded organization degenerated into a club for loafers
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Recent Examples of degenerating
In the Pacific, meteorologists are watching to see how much rain the degenerating Tropical Storm Mario could carry into the San Diego region.
—
Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025
Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degenerating
Verb
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Nandi is experiencing severe insomnia, tremors and psychosis, and her quickly deteriorating condition bewilders the emergency room staff.—
Sandee LaMotte,
CNN Money,
21 Oct. 2025
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An inspection also calls attention safety issues that require repairs, like cracks, a deteriorating liner, or problems with the flue or chimney cap.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Its crumbling buildings swallowed by greenery are starkly beautiful and deeply eerie, even more so as the cooler seasons creep in and sea mists descend.—
Maureen O'Hare,
CNN Money,
18 Oct. 2025
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Sclerotic growth, stagnant real wages, and crumbling public services are generating profound dissatisfaction.—
Anand Menon,
Time,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Climate was barely mentioned, though scientists have been studying and shouting about its relevance in worsening wildfires for years.—
Joan Meiners,
AZCentral.com,
20 Oct. 2025
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Coleman described a downward spiral of worsening engagement with instruction in general.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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On one end, the structure has large terrace-like steps descending into the earth.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Kansas City Star,
17 Oct. 2025
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Returning from an alpine lake, the pair took a different route from their hike in, ascending and descending the 11,300-foot Burro Lake Pass.—
Owen Clarke,
Outside,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Screening is key Across all ages, colorectal cancer cases and related deaths in the US have been declining for decades, Ng said, attributing that success to improvements in treatment and public health efforts to promote screening.—
Andrea Kane,
CNN Money,
16 Oct. 2025
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Many consumers have started to turn their backs on luxury goods; fed up with a lack of ingenuity, skyrocketing daily expenses, and arguably declining quality, shoppers are thinking twice before splurging on designer items.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
16 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Degenerating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degenerating. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.
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