Environmental Degradation Terms

adjective relating to or predicting the complete destruction of the world

• The scientist predicted that if we don't take action, the consequences could be apocalyptic.
• Dude, have you seen that apocalyptic movie on Netflix? It's crazy!
• The party last night was an apocalyptic disaster.
• Her breakup felt like the end of the world, it was truly apocalyptic.

noun a modern movement for the protection of the consumer against useless, inferior, or dangerous products, misleading advertising, unfair pricing, etc.

• Consumerism is the theory that an increasing consumption of goods is economically desirable.
• Consumerism is the reason why people always feel the need to buy the latest gadgets.
• Consumerism is just a fancy word for people buying a lot of stuff they don't really need.
• Consumerism is like a never-ending cycle of wanting more and more material possessions.

verb to destroy or deteriorate by chemical action, as rust or decomposition

• Over time, the metal will corrode due to exposure to harsh chemicals.
• If you leave that bike outside in the rain, it's going to corrode pretty quickly.
• Don't worry about that old car, it's so rusted it can't corrode any further.
• His negative attitude began to corrode the team's morale.

verb to break or fall apart into small fragments or pieces

adjective in the process of breaking or falling apart

• The ancient ruins were slowly crumbling due to years of erosion.
• The old house is crumbling apart, it needs some serious repairs.
• The relationship was already crumbling before they broke up.
• Her confidence was crumbling under the pressure of the competition.

verb to treat a sacred place or object with disrespect or damage it in some way

• Vandals attempted to desecrate the historical monument.
• Some jerks tried to mess up the old statue.
• Those punks tried to trash the sacred site.
• His actions seemed to desecrate the memory of his ancestors.

verb to gradually consume or erode something

adverb in a manner that causes gradual consumption or erosion

• The acid in the solution can slowly eat away at the metal over time.
• If you leave that sauce on the pan too long, it will start to eat away at the surface.
• I can't believe how much that new car payment is going to eat away at my savings.
• The guilt of what he had done began to eat away at him, causing sleepless nights and anxiety.

verb to gradually wear away or diminish

• The constant exposure to harsh weather conditions caused the rocks to erode over time.
• The waves erode the sand on the beach every day.
• That gossip will erode your reputation if you're not careful.
• The lies began to erode the trust between them.

verb to make someone or something poor or impoverished

• The economic policies implemented by the government are likely to further impoverish the already struggling population.
• Spending all your money on unnecessary things will only impoverish you in the long run.
• If you keep gambling like that, you're going to end up completely impoverished.
• Lack of empathy can impoverish relationships, leaving them devoid of emotional richness.

adjective not fertile or productive; unable to produce offspring

• The doctor explained that the patient was infecund and would have difficulty conceiving.
• She was devastated to learn that she was infecund and may struggle to have children.
• I heard she's infecund, so she's probably not gonna have any kids.
• The infecund soil yielded no crops, no matter how much effort was put into farming.

verb past participle form of the verb 'overburden', meaning to load or burden excessively

adjective feeling heavily burdened or overwhelmed with something

• The overburdened healthcare system struggled to cope with the influx of patients during the pandemic.
• She felt overburdened with all the responsibilities at work and home.
• I'm so overburdened with school assignments right now.
• His mind felt overburdened with worries and stress.

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun, in this case describing something that has been developed excessively

• The city's downtown area has become overdeveloped with high-rise buildings and commercial complexes.
• I think this neighborhood is a bit overdeveloped, don't you?
• Man, this place is totally overbuilt, it's like a concrete jungle.
• Her sense of humor is so overdeveloped that sometimes it can be off-putting.

noun the act of looting or plundering, especially in war

verb to rob or loot, especially during a war or conflict

• The invading army proceeded to pillage the village, taking all valuable items.
• The looters were caught red-handed trying to pillage the store.
• The thieves thought they could just waltz in and pillage the place without consequences.
• The corporation's unethical practices seemed to pillage the environment for profit.

adjective Squalid is an adjective that describes something that is extremely dirty, unpleasant, or morally repulsive.

• The squalid living conditions in the overcrowded tenement buildings were a result of neglect by the landlord.
• I can't believe how squalid the bathroom is at that gas station.
• The abandoned house looked squalid as hell, man.
• The corruption in the government has left a squalid stain on the country's reputation.

noun the upper layer of soil, typically rich in organic matter and conducive to plant growth

• The topsoil is the uppermost layer of soil, rich in nutrients and organic matter.
• Make sure you plant the seeds deep enough to reach the topsoil.
• I heard this new fertilizer works wonders for your topsoil.
• Just like topsoil is essential for a healthy garden, a strong foundation is crucial for success in life.

noun a person, place, thing, or idea

adjective describing word that modifies a noun or pronoun

• The aftermath of the hurricane left behind an unholy mess that will take months to clean up.
• My room is an unholy mess right now, I really need to tidy up.
• The party last night was wild, the place was an unholy mess in the morning.
• The corruption scandal created an unholy mess in the government's reputation.

noun the process of removing moisture from something, typically food or plant material, in order to preserve it

• Desiccation is the process of removing moisture from something.
• Leaving your phone out in the sun can cause desiccation of the battery.
• If you don't water your plants, they'll suffer from desiccation.
• The desert landscape was a metaphor for the desiccation of their relationship.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or state of being

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence

article a word that is used to specify a noun as definite or indefinite

• Many experts predict that if we do not take action, certain endangered species may go the way of the dodo.
• If we keep polluting the environment, some animals might just go the way of the dodo.
• If we don't start caring about conservation, those species will totally go the way of the dodo.
• Without proper protection, traditional bookstores may go the way of the dodo in the age of digital reading.