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atrophy

atrophy

12 8.5
A gradual loss of muscle or body tissue from not being used
  • noun
  • /ˈætrəfi/
  • Specialized
: atrofia
  • The doctor explained that the patient's muscle atrophy was caused by prolonged bed rest.
  • muscle atrophy
  • mucosal atrophy
  • hippocampal atrophy

But consider if, in that same scenario, you could cut that disuse muscle atrophy nearly in half.

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Examples

  • Among the various causes of low vision, optic atrophy accounted for the majority.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Your body is in an extreme state of atrophy, but you're in surprisingly good shape for someone who's been in a coma for four years.

  • It's like an atrophy of that social part of yourself.

  • And as your blood sugar goes up, atrophy of your brain goes up too.

  • The patient showed signs of starvation and muscle atrophy.

  • The resulting lower-limb disuse can lead to secondary muscle atrophy and bone demineralization.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Dry ARMD accounts for over ninety percent of all ARMD cases and is associated with atrophy of the macula.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Such activity is advantageous inasmuch as it prevents atrophy of the muscles of the residual limb and sustains their function.

    Academic text (1995)
  • After months of inactivity, the elderly man's leg atrophy made it difficult for him to walk.

  • The therapist noted that cognitive atrophy can occur when a person stops engaging in stimulating activities.

Synonyms

decline
vsatrophy
439 3.9

A gradual loss in amount, quality, or value

is the medical tissue or ability loss, not the broad economic or value drop
deterioration
vsatrophy
43 5.9

A slow change when something like a building or a person's health becomes worse

is specific to gradual bodily or functional loss rather than general worsening
degeneration
vsatrophy
8 7.5

A process of becoming worse in condition, quality, or morals

is the medical, bodily decline of tissues or abilities rather than moral or abstract decline
wasting away
vsatrophy
2 7.5

Parts of the body slowly become smaller because of disease or lack of use

is the general term covering body parts, tissues, and abilities lost over time
wasting
vsatrophy
  • Specialized
7.9

Loss of body weight and muscle that makes a person weak

emphasizes loss tied to disuse or disease rather than general frailty
amyotrophy
vsatrophy
  • Specialized
9.9

Loss of muscle that gets worse over time, often from nerve damage

is the general loss affecting various tissues or abilities, not restricted to muscles
amyotrophia
vsatrophy
  • Specialized
9.9

A gradual loss of muscle and strength

is broader, applying to any body part or ability, not only muscles
abiotrophy
vsatrophy
  • Specialized
9.9

A gradual loss of strength and ability to work in body cells not caused by injury

is loss often caused by disuse or disease rather than internal vitality loss

Antonyms

∞ 1.6

An increase in size, number, or importance of something

357 2.5

A gradual change that makes something better or more advanced

How Severe

destruction
849 3.0
wasting
  • Specialized
7.9
atrophy
  • Specialized
12 8.5
degeneration
8 7.5
decline
439 3.9

Surface Forms

atrophy singular
atrophies plural

Etymology

Atrophy comes from Greek parts a- 'not' and troph 'nourishment'. So an atrophy is the wasting away of a body part or ability because it no longer gets 'nourishment' or use.