1
as in deterioration
a change to a lower state or level
the organization's degeneration from a movement for political reform to just another political party
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in weakening
a gradual sinking and wasting away of mind or body
the troubling degeneration of his memory since he reached middle age
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3
as in degradation
a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior
the general degeneration that characterized so many old mining towns, which had only drinking and gambling for entertainment
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of degeneration
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
That doctor looked at the back of Kekoa’s eyes and diagnosed him with myopic degeneration, a dramatic form of nearsightedness.
—
Kristen Hwang,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Heming Willis shares her two kids with husband Willis, who was diagnosed with frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) in 2022.
—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
Clinical studies have reported improvements in peripheral neuropathy, retinal degeneration and certain neurological disorders.
—
Lynne Peeples,
Scientific American,
26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for degeneration
Mason Leib,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
That doctor looked at the back of Kekoa’s eyes and diagnosed him with myopic degeneration, a dramatic form of nearsightedness.
—
Kristen Hwang,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Apr. 2026
Heming Willis shares her two kids with husband Willis, who was diagnosed with frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) in 2022.
—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
2 Apr. 2026
Clinical studies have reported improvements in peripheral neuropathy, retinal degeneration and certain neurological disorders.
—
Lynne Peeples,
Scientific American,
26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for degeneration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degeneration
Noun
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The National Institute of Standards and Technology said long-term corrosion and the failure of multiple slab-to-column connections likely contributed to a progressive collapse after weeks of structural deterioration.
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Heston is at his most gleefully cynical as Robert Thorn, a police detective who lives and works in a New York City decimated by environmental deterioration and dwindling resources.
Noun
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Press freedoms across Africa are already fragile, with most nations ranking in the lower half of an influential press freedoms index, while numerous recent coups have contributed to a weakening of democratic norms in parts of the continent.
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One of the most significant changes during Hill’s tenure was the weakening of structures designed to elevate teacher concerns to district leadership, Oreskovic said.
Noun
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What bothers me is the foot-dragging, the spinning in circles, the slow degradation of these characters into annoying stereotypes.
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Over time, this can increase electrical resistance, generate excess heat, and accelerate battery degradation.
Noun
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Surveys showing a decline in Americans who see democracy as important.
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This decision stems from chronic staffing shortages, crumbling infrastructure, budget constraints, and a substantial decline in the federal inmate population, which peaked in 2013 and has since fallen by nearly 30%.
Noun
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At age 11, my favorite Broadway show was Follies – a classic preteen tale about the decay of female beauty and fading fame within an unscrupulous industry of vaudeville and burlesque.
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Their fix is to let the same model that does the reasoning also curate the knowledge, stored as human-readable notes and organized hierarchically with provenance and a lifecycle so stale plays decay rather than calcify.
Noun
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The council made similar appointments when Patrick Cannon stepped down in 2014 after he was indicted on public corruption charges and in 2013 when Anthony Foxx left the city to become the federal secretary of transportation.
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When self-interest matures into corruption, the machine begins to strain.
Noun
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The declinations came as the DOJ reassigned and cut prosecutors working on environmental cases.
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Federal regulations require special counsels to provide the attorney general with a report that explain prosecution or declination decisions once their work is concluded.
Cite this Entry
“Degeneration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degeneration. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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