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An affliction is something that causes pain and mental suffering, especially a medical condition.
Affluence is the state of having a lot of money and many possessions, granting one a high economic standard of living.
Aliment is something, usually food, that feeds, nourishes, or supports someone or something else.
An anodyne is a medicine that soothes or relieves pain.
When something attenuates, it lessens in size or intensity; it becomes thin or weakened.
Attrition is the process of gradually decreasing the strength of something (such as an enemy force) by continually attacking it.
Something is a blight if it spoils or damages things severely; blight is often used to describe something that ruins or kills crops.
A comestible is something that can be eaten.
A copious amount of something is a very large amount of it.
Debility is a state of being physically or mentally weak, usually due to illness.
A diminution of something is a reduction in the size, number, or importance of it.
A person or animal that is emaciated is extremely thin because of a serious illness or lack of food.
If you show exuberance, you display great excitement, energy, and enthusiasm.
Someone who is feckless is incompetent and lacks the determination or skill to achieve much of anything at all in life.
Something that is luxuriant, such as plants or hair, is growing well and is very healthy.
A malady is a serious illness; it can also be used to refer to serious and widespread problems within a society or an organization.
Malaise is a feeling of discontent, general unease, or even illness in a person or group for which there does not seem to be a quick and easy solution because the cause of it is not clear.
If something is obsolescent, it is slowly becoming no longer needed because something newer or more effective has been invented.
Something that is opulent is very impressive, grand, and is made from expensive materials.
A profusion of something is a very large quantity or variety of it.
If something bad, such as crime or disease, is rampant, there is a lot of it—and it is increasing in a way that is difficult to control.
If you say that something bad or unpleasant is rife somewhere, you mean that it is very common.
A salubrious place or area is pleasant, clean, healthy, and comfortable to live in.
A salutary experience can be unpleasant or difficult; nevertheless, it is useful for or of benefit to you because it strengthens your character.
Noun
atrophy
A-truh-fee
Context
After his motorcycle accident, Ross noticed the weakening effect that atrophy was having upon his leg muscles, which were no longer able to support him. The doctor told him that six months of lying inactive in bed had atrophied and weakened his leg muscles. After several trying weeks of physical therapy, Ross had regained some of his strength but had completely stopped his muscles from atrophying or wasting away any further. In a few months, however, he was stronger than ever, and the force of atrophy or decay had ceased to be a factor in body, mind, and spirit.
Atrophy is a process by which parts of the body, such as muscles and organs, lessen in size or weaken in strength due to internal nerve damage, poor nutrition, or aging.
Trophy for Lazy Man So, what did the laziest man in the world get for being the laziest man? Atrophy!
Examples
Courage atrophies from lack of use.
— Unknown
New Jersey Sports Podiatrist Richard Braver, D.P.M., prefers gel inserts for minor problems, such as fat pad atrophy, a sometimes painful thinning of the heel padding that can occur with age.
—
Cooking Light
Hamilton was able to create a Bank of the United States, but when Jefferson and his allies came to power, they allowed the bank to atrophy and disappear.
—
The Christian Science Monitor
Long-term unemployment Jun 21st 2007 From The Economist print edition When people are unemployed for a long time, their work-related skills atrophy and they find it harder to get a job.
—
The Economist
When one’s muscles are afflicted with atrophy, they are “without food” or do “not” have “nourishment” and thus weaken and waste away.
Word Constellation
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Related Words
affliction ·
attenuate ·
attrition ·
blight ·
debility ·
diminution ·
emaciated ·
feckless ·
malady ·
malaise ·
obsolescent ·
affluence ·
aliment ·
anodyne ·
comestible ·
copious ·
exuberance ·
luxuriant ·
opulent ·
profusion ·
rampant ·
rife ·
salubrious ·
salutary ·
Similar sense
Opposite sense
Word Variants
atrophy
v
→
to deteriorate or waste away
The section lists important variants and alternate definitions of the headword. Knowing variants will often help you both remember and understand the word. Not all variants are listed - only the ones we think that are important for you to know.