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
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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
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Examples of degradation in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Only when the degradation manifests do people start to sense that something is amiss.
—
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2024
This 10-year program—funded by Brazil, the European Union, and NASA—began in 1998 in response to growing alarm at the degradation of the Amazon rainforest, and gaps in scientific understanding.
—Byemmet Livingstone, science.org, 3 Oct. 2024
The sudden, unanticipated degradation of Hezbollah has shattered tired, old assumptions that Iran’s most vaunted proxy was untouchable, catching the U.S.—and many others—by surprise, right as the global community was calling for a cease-fire.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 29 Sep. 2024
Their effects can include damaging inflammation, tissue degradation, and autoimmune dysfunction.2 Autoimmune rheumatic disease causes your immune system to malfunction and attack healthy tissues, including major organs.
—Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for degradation 
Lance Eliot, Forbes, 6 Oct. 2024
This 10-year program—funded by Brazil, the European Union, and NASA—began in 1998 in response to growing alarm at the degradation of the Amazon rainforest, and gaps in scientific understanding.
—Byemmet Livingstone, science.org, 3 Oct. 2024
The sudden, unanticipated degradation of Hezbollah has shattered tired, old assumptions that Iran’s most vaunted proxy was untouchable, catching the U.S.—and many others—by surprise, right as the global community was calling for a cease-fire.
—Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, TIME, 29 Sep. 2024
Their effects can include damaging inflammation, tissue degradation, and autoimmune dysfunction.2 Autoimmune rheumatic disease causes your immune system to malfunction and attack healthy tissues, including major organs.
—Lana Barhum, Verywell Health, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for degradation
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.
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“Degradation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/degradation. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
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