degenerating

verb

present participle of degenerate
as in deteriorating
to become worse or of less value over the years the community-minded organization degenerated into a club for loafers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degenerating
  1. deteriorating
  2. crumbling
  3. worsening
  4. descending
  5. declining
Verb
  • Venezuela’s fragile health care system had been deteriorating for years before two powerful earthquakes rattled the South American nation last month, killing more than 5,000 people and further exacerbating its ongoing health crisis.
    — Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 31 July 2026
  • Allen said the house needed to be gutted, the inside was deteriorating and termites were eating at the doors.
    — Raisa Habersham, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026
Definition of deteriorating
Verb
  • But today, its concrete high-rises are crumbling into the sea.
    — Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026
  • Sugar’s purpose in this earthly life — to reunite lost families in the City of Angels — is crumbling under the maddening impossibility of convicting a policeman of a crime in a world where the crime is the point.
    — Andy Andersen, Vulture, 24 July 2026
Definition of crumbling
Verb
  • After coming into power, the Malian military junta expelled French forces from the country in 2022, citing protection of national sovereignty and a worsening security crisis.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
  • The drop was driven by worsening infrastructure, softening housing and a high cost of living.
    — Jeff Kleinman, Miami Herald, 31 July 2026
Definition of worsening
Verb
  • The sight of the American president descending the long stairs from Air Force One, smiling and waving along the way, became a symbol of American diplomacy.
    — Peter Kastor, Fortune, 27 July 2026
  • From the ground, the smooth, rotating ride looked interesting — suspended in twelve pairs of seats, passengers spin at a slight angle for about a minute before descending back to the surface.
    — Reeti Malhotra, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026
Definition of descending
Verb
  • Wine consumption as a whole is declining, according to the French Agriculture Ministry, with the government funding permanent vineyard removal in some cases.
    — Martina Di Licosa, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Some factors outside of districts’ control, such as the declining birth rate and competition with the private sector, could be contributing to this trend, according to local and state education leaders.
    — Lina Ruiz, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 July 2026
Definition of declining

Browse Nearby Words

degenerates
degenerating
degeneration
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Cite this Entry

“Degenerating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degenerating. Accessed 2 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of degenerating for Spanish Speakers

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