deteriorate

verb

di-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌrāt How to pronounce deteriorate (audio)
Definition of deterioratenext
1
as in to worsen
to become worse or of less value the garden slowly deteriorated after months of neglect

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deteriorate Trump is betting on economic pressure As negotiations on the Strait of Hormuz drag on, the White House appears to believe that time – and Iran’s deteriorating economy – is on its side. — Tim Lister, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026 The key is to compare those options before your financial situation deteriorates further. — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026 The health of one of the original members has been deteriorating over the past few years. — R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 9 Aug. 2026 Relations between the powerful church and Pashinyan's government have deteriorated rapidly since 2024, when tens of thousands of demonstrators, led by a high-ranking cleric, called for his ouster. — Arkansas Online, 9 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorate
  1. worsen
  2. degrade
  3. crumble
  4. weaken
  5. decline
  6. corrupt
  7. descend
  8. diminish
Verb
  • Haze has worsened in Malaysia’s Sarawak state, which shares a border with Indonesia’s Kalimantan province on Borneo.
    — Trisnadi, Los Angeles Times, 11 Aug. 2026
  • More than 50 hectares (124 acres) of peatland have burned in Jambi province on Sumatra island, causing choking haze in some areas and raising concerns about worsening air quality.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of worsen
Verb
  • Liquid nitrogen storage pauses cellular activity, so the egg should not degrade over time.
    — Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Anyone determined to disguise AI output has plenty of ways to degrade or erase a statistical text watermark.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of degrade
Verb
  • In a time yet to be named, when the couple’s love crumbled in the dead of night during a blackout, the planet became populated once more.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 11 Aug. 2026
  • Instead of crumbling in defeat, Rivera roared back with defiance.
    — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of crumble
Verb
  • However, consuming large amounts—such as those used in studies where up to 1/2 cup was consumed daily—can start to weaken and damage tooth enamel.
    — MD Published, Verywell Health, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Apple’s market dominance is built around September; moving away from tradition would upset the ecosystem supporting the launch and risk weakening the iPhone’s dominant position.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of weaken
Verb
  • Farage did not give a victory speech after declining to attend the declaration, claiming police had warned of a campaign to disrupt it.
    — Reagan Yip, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026
  • And the university, which declined an interview request about the new program, is not the first to offer content creation courses.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of decline
Verb
  • Thomas Mann—who later changed his mind on such matters—believed that Germany in the First World War was fighting for its unique national soul against a shallow materialist Western civilization corrupted by rationalism.
    — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
  • That said, real Strange may be corrupted by the Darkhold and Wanda could still be on her villain arc.
    — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of corrupt
Verb
  • As thousands of car enthusiasts prepare to descend on Metro Detroit for the annual Woodward Dream Cruise, a Michigan lawmaker is pushing legislation to crack down on excessively loud vehicles.
    — Terell Bailey, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Baseball descended on this site — just 20 miles from where the Hawkeye state intersects with Wisconsin and Illinois across the Mississippi River, where the iconic 1989 movie starring Kevin Costner was filmed.
    — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of descend
Verb
  • Instead, the fresh requirements appeared to diminish prospects for a quick deal, despite optimism last week an agreement was near.
    — Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026
  • But they’ve never been litigated — and the developments are already stoking fears of diminishing Fed independence as the central bank weighs whether to raise interest rates at its next meeting.
    — Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of diminish

Browse Nearby Words

deterging
deteriorate
deteriorated
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Cite this Entry

“Deteriorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorate. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of deteriorate for Spanish Speakers

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