degenerative
adjective
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Degenerative diseases—including cancer, glaucoma, Parkinson's, diabetes, arthritis, and leprosy—are usually contrasted with infectious diseases (diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa). However, many infectious diseases (Lyme disease, AIDS, etc.) can cause a body or body part to degenerate, and infective organisms play a part in some degenerative diseases. Some degenerative diseases can be controlled; some can even be cured. But no one has yet discovered a way to reverse such degenerative conditions as multiple sclerosis, emphysema, or Alzheimer's.
Examples of degenerative in a Sentence
Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 22 May 2025
How can a mother survive knowing her son, who suffers from a degenerative muscle disease, is being held alone in captivity?
—Jeremy Diamond, CNN Money, 20 May 2025
Given that most brain disorders, including degenerative and psychiatric conditions, involve some form of malfunctioning synapses, this has potentially important implications for human health and society.
—Takaki Komiyama, The Conversation, 17 Apr. 2025
People with lower-back conditions, such as spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, or spinal instability, may find the position aggravates their condition.
—Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 5 May 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Degenerative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/degenerative. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
degenerative
adjective
Medical Definition
degenerative
adjective
-ˈjen-(ə-)rət-
Morris Fishbein
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