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
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
James turned forty-one at the end of that month, an age at which many people start to notice the normal degeneration of their tendons and joints.
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Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai found traces of Chlamydia pneumoniae – a bacterium that's best known for causing respiratory infections – in the eye's retinal tissue, and higher levels of this pathogen correlated with advanced degeneration in Alzheimer’s disease patients.
—
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for degeneration
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
James turned forty-one at the end of that month, an age at which many people start to notice the normal degeneration of their tendons and joints.
—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
Researchers at Cedars-Sinai found traces of Chlamydia pneumoniae – a bacterium that's best known for causing respiratory infections – in the eye's retinal tissue, and higher levels of this pathogen correlated with advanced degeneration in Alzheimer’s disease patients.
—
New Atlas,
8 Feb. 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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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.
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Friday, a weakening ridge and an approaching front will allow scattered showers and thunderstorms to develop.
Noun
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The building had long-term degradation from corrosion, too.
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Researchers worldwide continue to struggle with issues such as low ionic conductivity, interface degradation, manufacturing complexity, and cost.
Noun
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That window is shorter than most executives assume, as mental and physical declines often begin earlier than midlife, while the leader still feels fully capable and engaged.
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The decline in energy prices is easing inflation concerns, which has helped push the 10-year Treasury yield down roughly 9 basis points.
Noun
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The decay rate will increase as the spacecraft dips into denser layers of the atmosphere until Swift finally burns up during reentry.
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The Dirty Beaches founder’s own saxophone and trumpet lead the players’ cut-and-pasted recordings down dark alleys of decay and introspection, backdropped by percussive bangs and scrapes that suggest the construction of some great, mysterious superstructure.
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 Phillies, off to an even worse start at 9-19, relieved Rob Thomson of his managerial duties Tuesday, and with Cora’s declination, named bench coach Don Mattingly interim skipper.
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The declinations came as the DOJ reassigned and cut prosecutors working on environmental cases.
Cite this Entry
“Degeneration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degeneration. Accessed 27 Jun. 2026.
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