degradation

noun

deg·​ra·​da·​tion ˌde-grə-ˈdā-shən How to pronounce degradation (audio)
1
: the act or process of degrading
environmental degradation
the gradual degradation of organic matter
… nothing infuriates the female students more than the degradation of women that is associated with male sports …Scott Stossel
suffer the degradations of poverty and abuse
2
a
: decline to a low, destitute, or demoralized state
shocked by the hopeless degradation of the "poor whites"Edith Wharton
Some houses are found spotless, others in a wretched degradationPaul Reyes
b
: moral or intellectual decadence : degeneration
educated him in the bestiality and degradation that war bringsDrew Middleton
degradative adjective

Examples of degradation in a Sentence

English teachers bemoaning the degradation of the language that e-mail and instant messaging have allegedly brought about. the belief that moral degradation is an unmistakable sign of a nation in decline
Recent Examples on the Web By considering all of the factors contributing to the degradation of the Amazon—climate change, drought, deforestation, wildfires—the team also developed models projecting heat, degradation, and fire trends into the future. Quentin Septer, WIRED, 11 Mar. 2024 Yet climate change, declining biodiversity, ecosystem destruction, land degradation and pollution threaten our global life support system, putting whole societies at risk. 1000 Landscapes For 1 Billion People, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 As the climate crisis deepens—specifically as more frequent, hotter wildfires bear down on the American West and as temperatures rise across the country—that degradation will continue. Zoë Schlanger, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2024 Overconsumption contributes to climate change and environmental degradation by exacerbating each of these impact categories, Manning said. Denise Chow, NBC News, 10 Feb. 2024 The ambivalence is shared by residents who, while historically dependent on tourism (West Maui accounts for 15% of Hawaiian tourism revenue), believe the rebuilding process provides a rare opportunity to address overtourism, environmental degradation, and economic imbalance. Crai S. Bower, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Feb. 2024 Africa’s population growth, its vulnerability to climate degradation and mass migration, and its economic potential multiply the global stakes for the continent’s future. Joseph Sany, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2024 Environmentalists also worry that the loss and degradation of pinyon-juniper woodlands will pose a significant threat to a number of animal species, including the bright blue pinyon jay, which is under consideration for listing as a federally endangered species. Louis Sahagún, Los Angeles Times, 11 Feb. 2024 The record of achieving lasting militia degradation through airstrikes alone is not very promising, if the U.S. military experience in Afghanistan and Iraq is any measure. Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'degradation.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see degrade

First Known Use

circa 1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of degradation was circa 1535

Dictionary Entries Near degradation

Cite this Entry

“Degradation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/degradation. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

degradation

noun
deg·​ra·​da·​tion ˌdeg-rə-ˈdā-shən How to pronounce degradation (audio)
1
a
: a reduction in rank, dignity, or standing
b
: removal from office
2
: loss of honor or reputation
3

Medical Definition

degradation

noun
deg·​ra·​da·​tion ˌdeg-rə-ˈdā-shən How to pronounce degradation (audio)
: change of a chemical compound to a less complex compound
degradative adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on degradation

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