as in deteriorates
to become worse or of less value
in the years following the closing of the last textile mill, the town atrophied
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Recent Examples of atrophies
The hippocampus is primarily responsible for memory and learning, and commonly shrinks, or atrophies, after a stroke.
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New Atlas, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for atrophies
Verb
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When those conditions are absent, performance deteriorates quickly.—
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The Kyiv Post reported Thursday that Ukrainian military officials say Russian units left inside the city are cut off from reliable supply lines and are increasingly surrendering as their position deteriorates.—
Verb
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Academic success means little if a child crumbles under stress.—
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Toby’s display, overall, looks a lot nicer, but when Paul goes to take a slice of his cake from the chocolate case, the whole thing crumbles to a mess.—
Verb
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Sam slips back into her addiction and as her alcoholism worsens, so do the visions and apparitions that seem to be haunting the forest.—
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As climate change worsens, more locations are going to become too hot for data centers.—
Verb
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The other occurs when Marty descends a staircase in the opulent apartment that Kay shares with her rich husband, Milton (Kevin O’Leary).—
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Netflix What happens when a supernatural danger descends on a blissful retirement community?—
Verb
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Independent energy analyst Rachel Ziemba, who agrees major oil companies may hesitate, also notes that declines in the price of crude – the raw material for consumer products like gasoline – are often not fully passed on to consumers.—
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As Gustav aims to work his way back into their lives, Nora retreats into isolation as her mental health increasingly declines.—
Cite this Entry
“Atrophies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/atrophies. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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