atrophied

[ a-truh-feed ]

adjective

1. exhibiting or affected with atrophy; wasted; withered; shriveled:

   an atrophied arm; an atrophied talent.

Other Words From

• non·atro·phied adjective
• un·atro·phied adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of atrophied¹

First recorded in 1590–1600; atrophy + -ed ²

Example Sentences

“Although his boss had to pretend to embrace the family-friendly nature of the town whose newspaper he ran,” Roman observes, “privately he was a man with a heart as atrophied as his calf muscles.”

From Los Angeles Times

Social skills and conversational ease have stiffened and atrophied.

From New York Times

When followed over several years, the super-agers’ brains atrophied at a slower rate than average.

From Seattle Times

Last month, the nonprofit Long Beach Post, which expertly covered the port city while the Press-Telegram atrophied, laid off nearly everyone.

From Los Angeles Times

“The alliance structure was built to win the Cold War and it’s sort of atrophied,” said Michael Beckley, a scholar of great power competition at Tufts University.

From New York Times

Related Words

• bony
• gaunt
• scrawny
• skeletal
• skinny