CEFR B2

degeneration

noun

Meaning

The process of becoming worse or of lower quality, especially in physical or moral condition.

Examples

The degeneration of the neighborhood was evident in the crumbling buildings and increased crime.
He worried about the degeneration of his memory as he got older.

Synonyms: decline, deterioration, decay, debasement

Learn English that separates you from the crowd with Anaversity: private classes, Ani practice, Campus tools, and a public English-learning community.

degeneration (B2)

noun

Pronunciation: /dɪˌdʒenəˈreɪʃən/

Definition

The process of becoming worse or of lower quality, especially in physical or moral condition.

Examples

The degeneration of the neighborhood was evident in the crumbling buildings and increased crime.
He worried about the degeneration of his memory as he got older.
The disease causes rapid degeneration of the nerve cells.

How to Use degeneration

degeneration of (prepositional phrase): Indicates what is becoming worse or lower in quality. — "We observed the degeneration of the forest due to pollution."
cause degeneration (collocation): To be the reason for something becoming worse. — "Lack of sunlight can cause degeneration in plants."
undergo degeneration (collocation): To experience the process of becoming worse. — "The old bridge began to undergo degeneration after decades of use."

Synonyms of degeneration

Words with a similar meaning to degeneration:

Antonyms of degeneration

Words with the opposite meaning to degeneration:

Browse the full Anaversity dictionary