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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of degeneration
Following his retirement from acting in 2022 due to an aphasia diagnosis, Willis' family revealed in February 2023 that the actor had been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, a brain disorder caused by degeneration of the brain's frontal lobe.
—
Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2025
The effect is particularly pronounced for cells that are very energy-hungry, like brain cells – causing the gradual degeneration seen with Parkinson’s disease.
—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 13 Mar. 2025
Importantly, Alan explained that methylene blue can cross from the bloodstream into the brain—a key factor for effectively treating cognitive diseases related to brain cell degeneration.
—Cathy Nelson, Health, 19 Feb. 2025
Changes in metabolism, appetite, and mobility could signal underlying brain degeneration.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degeneration
Jay Stahl, USA TODAY, 22 Mar. 2025
The effect is particularly pronounced for cells that are very energy-hungry, like brain cells – causing the gradual degeneration seen with Parkinson’s disease.
—Michael Irving, New Atlas, 13 Mar. 2025
Importantly, Alan explained that methylene blue can cross from the bloodstream into the brain—a key factor for effectively treating cognitive diseases related to brain cell degeneration.
—Cathy Nelson, Health, 19 Feb. 2025
Changes in metabolism, appetite, and mobility could signal underlying brain degeneration.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 12 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degeneration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for degeneration
Noun
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Submersible visits over the years have shown an increase in its deterioration, with rust and microorganisms eating away at the ship's metal. Dives over more than a decade have shown the ship is falling apart.—
George Petras,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2025
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That could mean that rate cuts are pushed off until much later this year or even delayed until next year if that deterioration takes time to materialize.—
Colby Smith,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This is, in part, about the degradation, devaluation, and replacement of writers.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
9 Apr. 2025
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Soil degradation, water scarcity, and climate volatility have become immediate operational threats.—
Felicia Jackson,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
Noun
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This is a result of a profit-first capitalist system in crisis in the epoch of imperialism’s decline.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 Apr. 2025
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Gold’s warning What’s more, the spike in gold prices this year has continued to signal a risk-off mentality among investors, as gold tends to rally during periods of decline in stocks.—
Pia Singh,
CNBC,
19 Apr. 2025
Noun
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One hundred and thirteen years later, much of the great vessel — and what’s left of its splendors — remains in the same spot it was found four decades ago in 1985, though decay and human interference have changed its form over time.—
Nicole Briese,
People.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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Water fluoridation has been proven to be so effective at preventing tooth decay that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) named it one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, a time during which Americans' life expectancies rose by 30 years.—
Hannah Yasharoff,
USA Today,
13 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The Trump administration is substantially scaling back the State Department's annual reports on international human rights to remove longstanding critiques of abuses such as harsh prison conditions, government corruption and restrictions on participation in the political process, NPR has learned.—
Graham Smith,
NPR,
18 Apr. 2025
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Thao has since been indicted for bribery and corruption.—
Jonathan Easley,
The Hill,
17 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The changing declination also defines the daily arc that the sun takes across the sky, thereby accounting for the length of daylight.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
6 Feb. 2025
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The sun's changing declination is what determines whether the sun's rays strike us at a low angle or more directly.—
Joe Rao,
Space.com,
6 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Degeneration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degeneration. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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