degradation
noun
deg·ra·da·tion
ˌde-grə-ˈdā-shən 
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
Scott Stosselsuffer 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
Edith WhartonSome houses are found spotless, others in a wretched degradation …—Paul Reyes
Paul Reyes
b
: moral or intellectual decadence : degeneration
educated him in the bestiality and degradation that war brings—Drew Middleton
Drew MiddletonExamples 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
Overly broad agent objectives introduce performance degradation, making debugging and optimization significantly more challenging.
—Rick Kelly, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Where everything seems more and more about degradation.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 16 Mar. 2025
The bears face major threats, including habitat loss and degradation due to human population growth and human-wildlife conflict.
—Krystal Nurse, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2025
The problem for the turtles was twofold: On land, the ridley’s lone primary nesting beach made eggs and hatchlings uniquely vulnerable to poaching, predation and habitat degradation.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degradation
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Rick Kelly, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Where everything seems more and more about degradation.
—Christian Blauvelt, IndieWire, 16 Mar. 2025
The bears face major threats, including habitat loss and degradation due to human population growth and human-wildlife conflict.
—Krystal Nurse, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2025
The problem for the turtles was twofold: On land, the ridley’s lone primary nesting beach made eggs and hatchlings uniquely vulnerable to poaching, predation and habitat degradation.
—Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for degradation
Cite this Entry
“Degradation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/degradation. Accessed 24 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
degradation
noun
deg·ra·da·tion
ˌdeg-rə-ˈdā-shən
1
a
: a reduction in rank, dignity, or standing
b
: removal from office
2
: loss of honor or reputation
Medical Definition
degradation
noun
deg·ra·da·tion
ˌdeg-rə-ˈdā-shən
: change of a chemical compound to a less complex compound
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