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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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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Recent Examples of degeneration
And their medial knee cartilage showed less worsening, suggesting slower cartilage degeneration.
—
New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2025
According to Boston University’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, progressive degeneration of brain tissue in people with CTE includes the buildup of an abnormal protein called tau in a pattern that distinguishes it from other diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
—Jimmy Golen, Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2025
An autopsy must reveal evidence of tissue degeneration and abnormal clumps of certain proteins around blood vessels in the brain.
—Shreya Srinivasan, NBC news, 29 July 2025
Interestingly, a combination of two cancer drugs stood out: Research in mice showed that this combination reduced brain degeneration and restored memory, according to findings recently published in Cell, pointing towards a potent treatment path never considered before.
—Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for degeneration
New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2025
According to Boston University’s Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy Center, progressive degeneration of brain tissue in people with CTE includes the buildup of an abnormal protein called tau in a pattern that distinguishes it from other diseases such as Alzheimer’s.
—Jimmy Golen, Chicago Tribune, 30 July 2025
An autopsy must reveal evidence of tissue degeneration and abnormal clumps of certain proteins around blood vessels in the brain.
—Shreya Srinivasan, NBC news, 29 July 2025
Interestingly, a combination of two cancer drugs stood out: Research in mice showed that this combination reduced brain degeneration and restored memory, according to findings recently published in Cell, pointing towards a potent treatment path never considered before.
—Jenny Lehmann, Discover Magazine, 21 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for degeneration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degeneration
Noun
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Mahama’s installations, which say something about societal deterioration, also dramatize the country’s inability to sustain robust funding in the arts or technology in its postindependence years.—
Edna Bonhomme,
Artforum,
1 Oct. 2025
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Indeed, September’s deterioration doesn’t signal the first time the indicator has entered recession territory—it’s been there since February 2025—but marks a further step away from a healthy outlook over a prolonged period of time.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The hurricane center said some gradual weakening is expected during the next couple of days as the storm continues to move in a general northeastward direction.—
Gabe Hauari,
USA Today,
23 Sep. 2025
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The meeting comes as the central bank is in a bit of a bind, given the recent uptick in inflation that has coincided with a weakening of the job market.—
Zev Fima,Jeff Marks,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
Noun
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For Parisian Jews in 1941 and 1942, these thefts were compounded by a cascade of other degradations, including the loss of distinguished positions at the Sorbonne, in banking, science, and medicine, with more devastation to come.—
Christopher C. Gorham
September 29,
Literary Hub,
29 Sep. 2025
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Zanardi’s statement provides a glimpse into the way detentions have been conducted as well as the powerful degradation of trust in the system that has led up to two-thirds of immigrants scheduled for hearings to skip them in fear of arrest.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Treasury yields fell Wednesday after new data showed a surprise decline in private payrolls, while traders monitored the consequences of the government shutdown after lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on the federal funding bill.—
Sean Conlon,Sawdah Bhaimiya,
CNBC,
1 Oct. 2025
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The company may still boast one of Silicon Valley’s most storied names, but its staff, which numbered 96,000 as of the end of July, had worked for years through nearly uninterrupted decline, watching their company lose nearly all relevance.—
Lila MacLellan,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Its decay produces flashes of light in the detector that can mimic potential dark matter signals.—
Kapil Kajal,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Oct. 2025
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These radioisotopes spontaneously transform into different elements and release radiation – energetic particles or light – in a process called radioactive decay.—
Andrea Richard,
The Conversation,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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In 2019, the 37-year-old Bukele ran for president as a populist outsider promising to defeat crime and corruption in a nation with one of the world’s worst homicide rates and a history of former presidents being charged with crimes.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
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Milei has had more success taming Argentina’s hyperinflation than first expected, but has been dealing with a brewing currency crisis and several corruption scandals.—
Sasha Rogelberg,
Fortune,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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On those three dates, variations in the moon's position relative to Earth's equator — particularly its declination — can influence tidal forces that subtly affect Earth's rotation rate.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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Where corporate criminal investigations resolve without filing any criminal charges (through a declination or deferred prosecution agreement), companies should expect victims to still voice their views loudly to the Justice Department and beyond.—
Lisa Zornberg,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Degeneration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degeneration. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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