atrophied
Americanadjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of atrophied
Explanation
Describe something as atrophied if it's shrunken or made smaller and weaker because of illness. If you've ever had a broken arm, you know that after months inside a cast your muscles become somewhat atrophied. Medically, when a body part is atrophied, it's started to waste away. Arms and legs can become atrophied from injury or disuse, and even internal organs can be atrophied when they're affected by disease. People who don't have enough food to eat eventually develop atrophied bodies, diminished by lack of nutrition. The Greek root is atrophia, "a wasting away," from a, "not," and trophe, "nourishment."
Vocabulary lists containing atrophied
A Wrinkle in Time
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Swann's Way
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
John’s left arm had atrophied, his hand now basically a claw, and two of his fingers were numb.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026
Today, the Pentagon is grappling with America’s atrophied industrial base while racing to adopt AI technologies that private companies have already woven into their systems—like the frozen-dessert management system Kain stumbled on.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
Social skills and conversational ease have stiffened and atrophied.
From New York Times ● May 14, 2024
When followed over several years, the super-agers’ brains atrophied at a slower rate than average.
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 29, 2024
“Our muscles have surely atrophied these past weeks.”
From "Between Shades of Gray" by Ruta Sepetys
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
