Definition of DEGRADATION

: the act or process of degrading

English teachers bemoaning the degradation of the language that e-mail and instant messaging have allegedly brought about. the belief that moral degradation is an unmistakable sign of a nation in decline

Recent Examples on the Web

Service degradation caused in some attacks has lasted multiple days, with some remaining ongoing as of the time this post went live. —Ars Technica, 6 Mar. 2025 Bristol Myers Squibb is leveraging AI and machine learning to advance protein degradation science. —Tina Chakrabarty, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025 Yale researchers want to speak with Central Floridians affected by 1,4-dioxane The Florida Geological Survey also uncovered an insidious characteristic of this chemical combination: 1,1-DCE inhibits the natural degradation of 1,4-dioxane, allowing its spread. —Kevin Spear, Orlando Sentinel, 28 Feb. 2025 But while fossil fuels are a significant driver, other factors — like soil degradation from poor infrastructure growth and inadequate crop-agricultural practices — also intensify natural disasters, causing landslides and dust storms, among other severe consequences. —Arturo MacIas Franco, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for degradation

First Known Use

circa 1535, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of degradation was circa 1535