degradation

/ˌdɛɡrəˈdeɪʃən/
noun
  1. The process of something being damaged or made worse over time.
    • Soil degradation is a serious problem for farmers around the world.
    • Pollution causes the degradation of natural habitats.
    • The building showed signs of degradation after years of neglect.
  2. The act of treating someone with disrespect or making them lose their dignity.
    • No one should have to endure such public degradation.
    • He felt a deep sense of degradation after being fired unfairly.
    • The prisoners suffered constant degradation from their guards.
  3. The breakdown of a chemical compound into simpler substances.
    • The degradation of the drug in the body happens quickly.
    • Heat can speed up the degradation of certain chemicals.
    • Scientists study the degradation of plastics in the ocean.
What does "degradation" mean? | whatsthatwordmean | whatsthatwordmean