atrophy
noun
Also atrophia a wasting away of the body or of an organ or part, as from defective nutrition or nerve damage.
had atrophied
-
past perfectof atrophy.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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
We also did not know that the Russian military had atrophied to such an extent.
From Salon ● Feb. 28, 2023
Llacsa’s sessions with Kuschert began in February, mainly as physical assessments — what she could and couldn’t do, how much the years in bed had atrophied her muscles.
From Washington Times ● Jun. 21, 2020
“A lot of my legs and arms had atrophied — it was pretty ugly,” Mr. Welch says.
From New York Times ● Mar. 3, 2012
They were loose because his legs had atrophied beyond normal clothing size—you could get two hands around his thighs and have your fingers touch.
From "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom
