1
as in to worsen
to become worse or of less value
the garden slowly deteriorated after months of neglect
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to degrade
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
childish name-calling that merely deteriorates what should be a serious discussion on an important issue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deteriorate
But Judge Kaplan wasn’t convinced the situation wouldn’t deteriorate again.
—
Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Earlier this year, after the contract with the UFCW expired on March 2, the relationship between the food workers and Stater Bros. deteriorated quickly when the chain executives told 63 courtesy clerks they were laid off because of inflation and tariffs.
—Pat Maio, Oc Register, 7 Aug. 2025
Steve Witkoff is visiting Israel as its government faces mounting pressure over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the enclave.
—Emily Rose, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2025
Another attempt is likely Friday, although weather conditions will deteriorate somewhat.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Earlier this year, after the contract with the UFCW expired on March 2, the relationship between the food workers and Stater Bros. deteriorated quickly when the chain executives told 63 courtesy clerks they were laid off because of inflation and tariffs.
—Pat Maio, Oc Register, 7 Aug. 2025
Steve Witkoff is visiting Israel as its government faces mounting pressure over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the enclave.
—Emily Rose, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2025
Another attempt is likely Friday, although weather conditions will deteriorate somewhat.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorate
Verb
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The hurricane's outer bands are expected to bring worsening weather conditions to North Carolina's coast by the evening of Aug. 20, the hurricane center said.—
Haadiza Ogwude,
The Enquirer,
21 Aug. 2025
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García Mercado is just one of so many Puerto Ricans who've felt forced to leave their island because of a lack of economic opportunity amid its decades-long debt crisis, worsening infrastructure, rising prices amid a wave of gentrification, and deteriorating services.—
Adrian Florido,
NPR,
16 Aug. 2025
Verb
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For starters, the quality of natural water is degrading—creating more favorable conditions for Legionella, which loves acidic water and low oxygen levels, to multiply—as the planet warms.—
Dylan Scott,
Wired News,
23 Aug. 2025
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Organizations celebrate productivity metrics while quality quietly degrades.—
Tarun Galagali,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Ignoring that second part, Irakli contacts Lisa’s editor and discovers that her as-yet-unfinished assignment is a photo essay on the crumbling football pitches of rural Georgia.—
Jessica Kiang,
Variety,
17 Aug. 2025
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Also getting a major glow-up in the remaining four episodes is a large, crumbling Victorian in the northern part of Detroit's Corktown neighborhood.—
Julie Hinds,
Freep.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But Goolsbee said Trump’s immigration crackdown likely has affected population growth and the jobs numbers, but that doesn’t mean the labor market has substantially weakened.—
Paul Davidson,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
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This means banana particles can remain between teeth for an extended period, giving bacteria more time to produce acids that weaken tooth enamel.14 6.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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An analyst who declined to be named agreed the EX30 was pivotal for Volvo to reach its 2025 target of 800,000 to 850,000 sales.—
Neil Winton,
Forbes.com,
17 Aug. 2025
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Jenkins would play through the 2019 NFL season with the Eagles, but the team declined his final season's option, leaving the veteran safety to become a free agent.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The chances that the data would be corrupted three times is very unlikely, Kinget points out.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
10 Aug. 2025
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Jefferson and his supporters understood that such mixing of church and state corrupted both.—
Time,
Time,
10 July 2025
Verb
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In the Petworth neighborhood, roughly 20 officers from the FBI, Homeland Security, Park Police and U.S. Marshals descended on an apartment building on Tuesday morning.—
Matt Brown,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Aug. 2025
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First responders descended on the scene as a plume of smoke shrouded the five-story furnace building on Bells Lane.—
Ruby Grisin,
The Courier-Journal,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Aug. 2025
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Rather than diminishing us, this should decentralize our ego.—
Dax Grant,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deteriorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorate. Accessed 27 Aug. 2025.
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