atrophy
noun
Also atrophia a wasting away of the body or of an organ or part, as from defective nutrition or nerve damage.
atrophies
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pluralof atrophy.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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present tense formof atrophy (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
atrophynounAlso atrophia a wasting away of the body or of an organ or part, as from defective nutrition or nerve damage.
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.
Like any skill, it atrophies when we outsource the work.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 27, 2026
"When you get machines thinking for you, your brain just atrophies."
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2025
As we age, our brain gradually atrophies, losing nerve cells and connections and this can lead to a decline in brain function.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 6, 2024
If astrophysicists don’t take big, new and different swings at dark matter, the search will only stagnate until it atrophies.
From Scientific American ● Apr. 5, 2023
And on the other hand, as a muscle not used atrophies and dies, so will the faculties of the spirit die through disuse.
From Little Journeys to the Homes of the Great - Volume 05 Little Journeys to the Homes of English Authors by Elbert Hubbard
