degradation

[ deg-ruh-dey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of degrading. degrade.
2. the state of being degraded. degraded.

   Synonyms: debasement, dishonor, disgrace, humiliation

3. Physical Geography. the wearing down of the land by the erosive action of water, wind, or ice.
4. Chemistry. the breakdown of an organic compound.

degradation

/ ˌdɛɡrəˈdeɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of degrading or the state of being degraded
2. a state of degeneration, squalor, or poverty
3. some act, constraint, etc, that is degrading
4. the wearing down of the surface of rocks, cliffs, etc, by erosion, weathering, or some other process
5. chem a breakdown of a molecule into atoms or smaller molecules
6. physics an irreversible process in which the energy available to do work is decreased
7. RC Church the permanent unfrocking of a priest

Other Words From

• degra·dation·al adjective
• degra·dative adjective
• anti·degra·dation adjective
• nondeg·ra·dation noun
• self-degra·dation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of degradation¹

First recorded in 1525–35; from Late Latin dēgradātiōn-, stem of dēgradātiō, from dēgradāt(us) “degraded” (past participle of dēgradāre; degrade ) + -iō -ion

Example Sentences

Deconvolution aims to reduce blur, a certain type of image degradation introduced by the microscopic system used.

From Science Daily

In a statement from the Kremlin to Russian media, Putin reportedly told Scholz that Russian-German relations had suffered "an unprecedented degradation across the board as a result of the German authorities "unfriendly course”.

From BBC

Crusius’ manifesto was striking because he considered the crushing squeeze of environmental degradation — the very changes that would be amplified by climate change — on communities, but from the opposite perspective.

From Salon

“I’m getting less for my money,” he said, calling it an overall “degradation of service quality.”

From Los Angeles Times

The report found habitat degradation and loss was the biggest threat to wildlife, followed by overexploitation, invasive species, disease, climate change and pollution.

From BBC

Related Words

• degeneration
• deterioration