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
Her condition rapidly deteriorated through Tuesday night.
—
Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Their relationship deteriorated following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to step back as senior royals in 2020 and move to California.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 25 June 2025
Palen was taken to the hospital, where her health continued to deteriorate.
—Jillian Frankel, People.com, 24 June 2025
However, the situation is expected to deteriorate further as Netanyahu gave a public speech saying Israel’s military action may last several days.
—Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Their relationship deteriorated following the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s decision to step back as senior royals in 2020 and move to California.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 25 June 2025
Palen was taken to the hospital, where her health continued to deteriorate.
—Jillian Frankel, People.com, 24 June 2025
However, the situation is expected to deteriorate further as Netanyahu gave a public speech saying Israel’s military action may last several days.
—Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorate
Verb
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This can lead to more frequent awakenings, shallower sleep and worsened airway instability, resulting in more apnea events.—
Matthew Glasser,
ABC News,
30 June 2025
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Sweden reintroduced a gender-neutral draft in 2017 citing worsening security conditions, while Norway became the first NATO country to implement gender-equal conscription in 2013.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 June 2025
Verb
-
One of the challenges is that signals in fiber-optic cables degrade over distance.—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
24 June 2025
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Israel wants to degrade Iran's missiles and nuclear program.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
23 June 2025
Verb
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The San Francisco company’s shares took a dive Monday after its partnership with Novo Nordisk crumbled.—
Queenie Wong,
Los Angeles Times,
28 June 2025
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Top each bowl with fresh cilantro, lime juice, and crumbled Cotija cheese.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 June 2025
Verb
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But in an unexpected ruling in 2023, the Supreme Court declined an invitation to weaken Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.—
June 27,
CBS News,
27 June 2025
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Abandoning recognition can erode motivation, diminish engagement and make employees feel invisible, weakening the cultural fabric and undermining long-term resilience.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Verb
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LeBron James already opted in to a $52.6 million deal with the Lakers for next season, the Rockets traded for Durant and the Los Angeles Clippers saw James Harden decline his option in return for a new deal and a raise.—
Tim Reynolds,
Chicago Tribune,
1 July 2025
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At the time, Harvard declined to comment on the president’s post.—
Laya Neelakandan,
CNBC,
30 June 2025
Verb
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Imagine an attacker subtly corrupting the data that trains a spam filter or fraud detector—the AI might then start letting threats slip through or flagging the wrong items.—
Ronen Cojocaru,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
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The peasants followed out of a need to earn a living, but they were frequently corrupted by the ideals of luxury and idleness exemplified by the rich, further driving them into poverty.—
Ben Woollard,
JSTOR Daily,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Hours earlier, another Pride celebration at Washing Square Park descended into chaos after a false report of gunfire and an individual deploying bear spray into a crowd sparked a stampede of people running for their lives.—
Bradford Betz,
FOXNews.com,
30 June 2025
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The New Shepard rocket, the company's fully reusable and fully autonomous spacecraft, separated from the capsule and returned to Earth ahead of the astronauts, safely descending and touching down on a landing pad not far from the launch site.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
29 June 2025
Verb
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Keep clear of puddles - Driving through puddles or low rainwater areas can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
26 June 2025
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But all this trouble didn’t diminish his affection.—
Brett Berk,
Robb Report,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deteriorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorate. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.
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