Don't let your muscles atrophy.
Source: tatoeba (5536368)
Atrophy
/ˈæt.ɹə.fi/
Synonyms for "atrophy" (205 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (41)
Noun(2 words)
wasting awayatrophying
abnormalityabscessacute diseaseaffectionafflictionagueailmentallergic diseaseallergyanemiaankylosisanoxiaapneaasphyxiationasthmaataxiaattenuationbackachebacterial diseasebirth defect
Show 19 more words
bleedingblennorheablightcachexiacachexycardiovascular diseasechillchillschronic diseasecirculatory diseasecoliccomplaintcomplicationconditioncongenital defectconstipationconsumeconsume awayconsumption
Strong matches (62)
convulsioncoughingcyanosisdecadencedecaydeclensiondeclinationdeclinedefectdeficiency diseasedeformitydegeneracydegenerationdegenerative diseasedevolutiondiarrheadisabilitydiseasedisorderdistemper
Show 32 more words
dizzinessdownfalldowngradedribble awaydropsydryingdrying updysenterydyspepsiadyspneaedemaemacerationemaciateemaciationendemicendemic diseaseendocrine diseaseepidemic diseasefaintingfatiguefeverfibrillationfluxfunctional diseasefungus diseasegastrointestinal diseasegenetic diseasegrowthhandicaphemorrhagehereditary diseasehigh blood pressure
Adjective(1 words)
Verb(2 words)
Related words (102)
hydropshypertensionhypotensioniatrogenic diseaseicterusillnessindigestionindispositioninfectious diseaseinfirmityinflammationinsomniaitchingjaundicelabored breathinglow blood pressurelumbagomaladymalaisemarasmus
Show 73 more words
marcescencemorbiditymorbusmuscular diseasenasal dischargenauseanecrosisneurological diseasenutritional diseaseoccupational diseaseorganic diseasepainpandemic diseaseparalysisparchingpathological conditionpathologypine awaypipplant diseasepreshrinkageprotozoan diseaseprurituspsychosomatic diseaserashrespiratory diseaserheumrockinessruinrun to seedrun to wastesanforizingsclerosissearingsecondary diseaseseedinessseizureshockshrinkageshrinkingshrivelingsickishnesssicknesssignsignsskin eruptionsneezingsorespasmsymptomsymptomatologysymptomologysymptomssyndrometabestachycardiathe pipthinningtumorupset stomachurogenital diseasevertigovirus diseasevomitingwastagewastewaste awaywastingwasting diseasewiltingwither awaywitheringworm disease
Verb(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: wasting away, abnormality, abscess, acute disease, affection.
- Sentence evidence is available for atrophy, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "atrophy".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "atrophy"
Keep "atrophy" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "atrophy" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "atrophy", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "atrophy" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
12 entriesMore specific
12 entriesbone atrophybureaucratic atrophycardiac atrophycerebral atrophycivic atrophyeconomic atrophyhabit atrophyinstitutional atrophymuscle atrophynerve atrophyorganizational atrophyskill atrophy
Collocations
9 entriesage related atrophybone atrophybrain atrophycerebral atrophymuscle atrophynerve atrophyoptic atrophyprogressive atrophysevere atrophy
Inflections
3 entriesDerivations
2 entriesSample sentences
8 total sentences available.
Astronauts' muscles atrophy when they spend a long time in zero gravity.
Source: tatoeba (11117038)
Muscle atrophy, as it's also known, is a common result of starvation and a number of very serious diseases, including cancer, diabetes and AIDS.
Source: tatoeba (12102076)
Other types of antisense oligonucleotides have been approved by U.S. regulators and are being used to treat the neurodegenerative disease muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy. The compound is in clinical trials for Huntington’s disease and ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Source: tatoeba (12257415)
Showing 4 of 8 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "atrophy"?
Closest matches include wasting away, abnormality, abscess, acute disease, affection.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "atrophy"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.