1
as in deterioration
a change to a lower state or level
English teachers bemoaning the degradation of the language that e-mail and instant messaging have allegedly brought about
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2
as in corruption
a sinking to a state of low moral standards and behavior
the belief that moral degradation is an unmistakable sign of a nation in decline
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of degradation
The Great Lakes Legacy Act — which aims to address areas of concern in the basin where longtime industrial contamination has caused environmental degradation — has funded 34 remediation projects across the region since 2004, removing or capping almost 7 million cubic yards of contaminated sediment.
—
Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
Participants who adopted a personalized foot angle reported less pain and showed fewer signs of cartilage degradation than those who walked normally.
—Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
This is done because higher silicon content is more unstable and can result in more expansion and greater degradation over time.
—Prakhar Khanna, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Archaeological theories suggest that Tiwanaku collapsed because of a drought or environmental degradation.
—Gina Park, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degradation
Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2025
Participants who adopted a personalized foot angle reported less pain and showed fewer signs of cartilage degradation than those who walked normally.
—Thomas Westerholm, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Aug. 2025
This is done because higher silicon content is more unstable and can result in more expansion and greater degradation over time.
—Prakhar Khanna, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Archaeological theories suggest that Tiwanaku collapsed because of a drought or environmental degradation.
—Gina Park, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degradation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degradation
Noun
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These ingredients reflect a growing shift in pet wellness away from simply slowing joint deterioration and toward rebuilding comfort, restoring flexibility, and reducing inflammation at the source.—
Lyssanoel Frater,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
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But the deployment of—among others—three destroyers, at least one submarine and an amphibious ready group (ARG) filled with Marines is a further deterioration in the poor relationship between Washington and Caracas that appears to have spooked Maduro.—
Ellie Cook
John Feng,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Leading up to the protests, the hashtag #NepoBaby had been trending in the country, largely to criticize the extravagant lifestyles of local politicians' children and call out corruption, NPR previously reported.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
10 Sep. 2025
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Apart from lifting the ban on social media, the protesters’ other demands included that the Prime Minister resign and that Nepal establish an independent watchdog body similar to an ombudsman to monitor corruption.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Paluel faced similar power declines in 2016 when a steam generator weighing more than 450 tons collapsed while being moved, causing the plant to be shut down before coming back online a year later.—
Theo Burman
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
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The world is also facing exponential declines in biodiversity, primarily among insects.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
4 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
“Degradation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degradation. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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