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
McFarland found the items inside a degenerating family trunk.
—
Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
But in general, any organic media is going to start degenerating over time, and the pH is going to be higher.
—Ryan Conner, Dallas Morning News, 1 Apr. 2026
Scientists have hailed the benefits of exercising early in life to lower the risk of your brain degenerating later.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 29 Nov. 2025
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
Gabrielle Rockson, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
But in general, any organic media is going to start degenerating over time, and the pH is going to be higher.
—Ryan Conner, Dallas Morning News, 1 Apr. 2026
Scientists have hailed the benefits of exercising early in life to lower the risk of your brain degenerating later.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 29 Nov. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degenerating
Verb
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Mohammadi’s family said her health had been deteriorating in prison, in part because she was heavily beaten during her arrest.—
Sarah el Deeb,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
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In recent years, the island’s deteriorating infrastructure has been a backdrop for violence, neglect, and death; a federal judge has deemed its conditions unconstitutional.—
Molly Fischer,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that Cuban authorities have not accepted an offer of $100 million in humanitarian aid from the United States to help a population struggling with widespread shortages and a crumbling economy.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
8 May 2026
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Gang violence, death threats and a crumbling judicial system have stalled an ongoing investigation.—
David Fischer,
Sun Sentinel,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Higher yields boost interest costs, which are running at $1 trillion a year, worsening the budget deficit and adding even more to the total debt burden.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
15 May 2026
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Samsung has warned that the AI boom is worsening chip shortages and creating headwinds for its own smartphone and display units.—
Ron Schmelzer,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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The steeply descending main street of Haworth is filled with tea shops, pubs and stores clearly dedicated to pleasing Brontë pilgrims, but its basic form, including the original stationery store where the sisters once bought their paper, remains the same.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
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Case in point is the Haryma necklace, where yellow and orange diamonds come to play with garnets and white diamonds to create a shading effect on the necklace and figurative tiger descending a staircase arrangement supported by five imperial topazes, totaling just over 28 carats.—
Lily Templeton,
Footwear News,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Black Bear officials cited the program's declining participation rates and finances as the reason.—
Kenny Jacoby,
USA Today,
14 May 2026
-
Sadly, bat populations are declining rapidly in North America.—
The Conversation,
Fortune,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Degenerating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degenerating. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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