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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 degradation
The reason is the instability of the medium and the degradation of prints.
—
Florian Ebner, Artforum, 2 Nov. 2025
Doing so could help combat climate change by restoring the role of large, wild animals in nutrient cycling, as well as reverse ecosystem degradation and help people of all backgrounds reconnect with nature.
—Benjamin Larue, The Conversation, 31 Oct. 2025
Housing materials in artistic practice are fitting for an environment that is constantly under simultaneous construction and degradation, with sea levels continuing to rise, potholes throughout the city and as our own infrastructure buckles under the weight of an ever growing population.
—Mario Rodriguez, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
In her article, Jane reminds us that meat consumption is responsible for animal suffering and environmental degradation.
—Lisa Wade, Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degradation
Florian Ebner, Artforum, 2 Nov. 2025
Doing so could help combat climate change by restoring the role of large, wild animals in nutrient cycling, as well as reverse ecosystem degradation and help people of all backgrounds reconnect with nature.
—Benjamin Larue, The Conversation, 31 Oct. 2025
Housing materials in artistic practice are fitting for an environment that is constantly under simultaneous construction and degradation, with sea levels continuing to rise, potholes throughout the city and as our own infrastructure buckles under the weight of an ever growing population.
—Mario Rodriguez, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2025
In her article, Jane reminds us that meat consumption is responsible for animal suffering and environmental degradation.
—Lisa Wade, Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degradation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degradation
Noun
-
Some of it is also related to the age and deterioration of much of the grid, which now requires rebuilding.—
Tom Rogers,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
The deterioration in the labor market has been concentrated in payroll employment, which is the [datapoint] that is the most susceptible to demographic and immigration changes.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
India became Sri Lanka’s de facto lender of last resort without requiring the Sri Lankan government to address concerns about the human rights abuses, militarization, or corruption that fueled the country’s political crisis.—
MUHIB RAHMAN,
Foreign Affairs,
12 Nov. 2025
-
But turnout has been persistently low, months of horse-trading to form a government are likely to follow, and voters are weary of high levels of corruption.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
11 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
However, the league is looking to its next steps to after the 2025 season saw a 5% decline in game attendance, according to Sports Business Journal.—
Jessica Golden,
CNBC,
6 Nov. 2025
-
But their party went into swift decline during the Cold War that began in the late 1940s and barely exists today.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Jupiter is currently situated against the stars of Gemini the Twins where the ecliptic — the apparent path of the sun, moon and planets — comes farthest north, at +23 degrees declination.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Presenting their findings in a lengthy declination memo, the prosecutors explicitly mentioned the two other investigations to bolster their recommendation that probable cause does not exist to charge Comey, according to sources familiar with the contents of the memo.—
Katherine Faulders,
ABC News,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Higgins also debunked the debasement trade hypothesis.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
27 Oct. 2025
-
The immediate goal of this concerted information operation is the debasement of American Jews, but the more politically salient goal is the gaslighting of American evangelical Christians—the very core of the MAGA base, and an overwhelmingly pro-Jewish, pro-Israel constituency at that.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Degradation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degradation. Accessed 21 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share