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 sources say Martin and Condal’s relationship deteriorated further and came to a head during a Zoom call with the show’s producers and some HBO executives.
—
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
The facility had deteriorated wood flooring inside the walk-in cooler.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
january 14, Sacbee.com, 14 Jan. 2026
Onions, parsley, parsnip, and shallots deteriorate after a year.
—Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Road conditions could deteriorate so plan for a slow and slippery evening commute.
—Brian Manzullo, Freep.com, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 15 Jan. 2026
The facility had deteriorated wood flooring inside the walk-in cooler.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
january 14, Sacbee.com, 14 Jan. 2026
Onions, parsley, parsnip, and shallots deteriorate after a year.
—Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Jan. 2026
Road conditions could deteriorate so plan for a slow and slippery evening commute.
—Brian Manzullo, Freep.com, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorate
Verb
-
The city said the decision was a result of several years worth of mounting safety concerns, ordinance violations and residential complaints about the vacant structure’s worsening state.—
Anna Ortiz,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The immense costs associated with the program have only worsened the economic situation, leading to a more stifling environment.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This structure can diffract light and degrade image quality.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Jan. 2026
-
At 40, he was tasked with restoring order to a dysfunctional Philadelphia Eagles team whose culture degraded during a chaotic 2020 season.—
Brooks Kubena,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
That criticism scene is where the Knausgaard/Kristian simulacrum begins to crumble.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
-
And behind every man with a good name and a crumbling pile, there’s a wife shrewdly attending to the seating plan.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Evergreen branches bent under the weight of snow are already weakened; sweeping down the length of the branch toward the ground adds to the stress and increases the potential for breakage.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
-
These policies impose devastating costs on American citizens, weakening our economy, increasing the national debt, straining public budgets and tearing families apart.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Trey Rose, 27, who was also arrested, met Samson Nacua at another location and got in the car, also not knowing the car belonged to someone else, according to a sheriff’s detective who declined to be named.—
Sierra van der Brug,
Daily News,
16 Jan. 2026
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On Wednesday, a federal judge declined to issue a temporary restraining order to halt the operations.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As Jay Jonah Atterbury, one of a handful of new characters on the fourth season of Industry, Kal Penn weaponizes and corrupts the stoner quirks viewers may recognize from his years playing Kumar Patel in the Harold & Kumar films.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
-
His mind is warped, his sense of morality corrupted.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Absolute silence descended on the scene.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 Jan. 2026
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Advertisement And even with this understanding, just hours after witnessing the apparent ease in which an ICE agent can pull a trigger, thousands of protestors still descended into public spaces across the country, refusing to disappear quietly.—
Paola Ramos,
Time,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Still seething after a sloppy 19-16 loss to the Detroit Lions, Johnson wasn’t hiding his dissatisfaction with a defeat that seemed to diminish his team’s momentum.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Kaufman moved there 30 years ago, and since that time the island’s community has diminished by degrees, its youth lured away by better employment prospects in Provo and overseas.—
Henry Wismayer,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deteriorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorate. Accessed 16 Jan. 2026.
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