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
In the days that followed, her condition deteriorated.
—
Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 4 Mar. 2026
The next two weeks will be critical and the situation could could deteriorate quickly, driving up fuel costs and broader inflation if the conflict drags on, according to energy analyst Vibhuti Garg with the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, or IEEFA, in Delhi.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
Some of the reels, beginning to deteriorate, smelled like vinegar.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 3 Mar. 2026
Zelenskyy said yesterday the next meeting between negotiators was scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates later this week, but the deteriorating security situation there could change that.
—Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 4 Mar. 2026
The next two weeks will be critical and the situation could could deteriorate quickly, driving up fuel costs and broader inflation if the conflict drags on, according to energy analyst Vibhuti Garg with the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis, or IEEFA, in Delhi.
—ABC News, 4 Mar. 2026
Some of the reels, beginning to deteriorate, smelled like vinegar.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 3 Mar. 2026
Zelenskyy said yesterday the next meeting between negotiators was scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates later this week, but the deteriorating security situation there could change that.
—Matt Nighswander, NBC news, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorate
Verb
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Tim Pennington called again that evening, Bell said, to ask for prayers as his son's condition was worsening, and then later told him the soldier had succumbed to his injuries.—
ALLEN G. BREED,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
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Behind the scenes, DHS officials worry that the longer the shutdown lasts, the greater the risk that more TSA employees will leave, worsening staffing shortages beyond the immediate crisis.—
Nicole Sganga,
CBS News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Carbon fiber offers high strength but requires high energy consumption to produce and is difficult to degrade.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Mar. 2026
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How Long Potting Soil Lasts Potting soil typically degrades after nine to 12 months once the bag is opened and can last up to two years when unopened, says Scott.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Gang violence, death threats and a crumbling judicial system have stalled an ongoing investigation.—
David Fischer,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Mar. 2026
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Last summer, the fastball effectiveness crumbled.—
Sahadev Sharma,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Under this model, airlines, hotels, and other end-service providers may benefit, while intermediaries such as ticket booking platforms and price comparison websites may see their roles weakened.—
,
CNBC,
11 Mar. 2026
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This weakens the plant and can cause dieback.—
Steve Bender,
Southern Living,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, Iranian retaliatory attacks appear to be declining — ballistic missile strikes have fallen by 90% and drone attacks by 83%, according to US Central Command — potentially easing pressure on Gulf states that have faced Iranian strikes in recent days.—
Alexandra Banner,
CNN Money,
6 Mar. 2026
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Bonta’s office declined to comment.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Richard Pazdur, a longtime cancer drug regulator, retired from the CDER director post in December due to concerns that political officials were corrupting the agency’s scientific process.—
Lizzy Lawrence,
STAT,
6 Mar. 2026
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Over time, these invisible strikes can corrupt data, damage components, and shorten a spacecraft’s life.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
21 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Over the past few days, the biggest tennis stars in the world have descended on the tony desert enclave of Indian Wells, California for the BNP Paribas Open, also known as Tennis Paradise.—
Lucas Shaw,
Bloomberg,
9 Mar. 2026
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Even as busloads of Bruins fans descended on Galen Center, turning USC’s arena into hostile territory, the Trojans showed signs of life early on.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After a decade of dramatic growth, homelessness programs now face a period of diminishing resources.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Advocates say that level of disenrollment will sharply diminish the state’s health care system as a whole, by robbing hospitals and clinics of revenue.—
Andrew Graham
March 9,
Sacbee.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deteriorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorate. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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