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
Combined with the country’s porous land border with the Dominican Republic, the deteriorating conditions have helped transform Haiti into a regional transit hub for drug trafficking, the report found.
—
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026
The seven candidates running for sheriff in the May primary brought up the deteriorating conditions of the jail.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2026
The attacks marked the latest sign that the countries’ ceasefire is deteriorating, after Iran struck US bases in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 10 June 2026
More than 170,000 apartments and 330 developments have been allowed to deteriorate over decades.
—Jasmin Sanchez, New York Daily News, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 10 June 2026
The seven candidates running for sheriff in the May primary brought up the deteriorating conditions of the jail.
—Alexandra Kukulka, Chicago Tribune, 10 June 2026
The attacks marked the latest sign that the countries’ ceasefire is deteriorating, after Iran struck US bases in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 10 June 2026
More than 170,000 apartments and 330 developments have been allowed to deteriorate over decades.
—Jasmin Sanchez, New York Daily News, 9 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorate
Verb
-
Ongoing construction worsened the situation, but shortly after the interchange, traffic eased.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
16 June 2026
-
China’s economic imbalance worsened in May as retail sales fell at the fastest pace in years, while industrial output accelerated, new data showed.—
Jeronimo Gonzalez,
semafor.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Operating without high temperatures also allowed the researchers to use a wider range of sensing materials, including polymers that might degrade under heat.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
17 June 2026
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Thermomechanical recycling, another energy-intensive endeavor, relies on high-quality, homogeneous feedstock that can only be processed a limited number of times before the plastic degrades.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
17 June 2026
Verb
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During the morning low tide, while there was still a small stretch of sand, excavators were working to pile large rip-rap boulders next to the base of the crumbling Pacifica Pier.—
John Ramos,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
-
Cube and pan-fry firm tofu until golden, crumble into scrambles or tacos, marinate and bake, or add to curries and stir-fries.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
15 June 2026
Verb
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The screenplay grows more complex and rewarding as the central relationship weakens, effectively forcing Sonya to deal with her exhausting boyfriend (Levon Hawke) and pushing Coley to connect with her father who, for whatever reason, spends a lot of time hand-making turquoise jewelry.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
16 June 2026
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This, of course, is problematic for the homegrown haters because the opposing opinion from neutral outsiders weakens their argument and should strengthen our resolve.—
Armando Salguero OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Ohtani declined a post-game interview request Thursday.—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
12 June 2026
-
The number of stray dog reports has declined in recent years.—
Jasmine Arenas,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Americans are angry that their kids are being indoctrinated into a left-wing ideology intended to infiltrate their hearts and corrupt their moral center.—
Rachel del Guidice,
FOXNews.com,
10 June 2026
-
Character also involves standing up to people who are bankrupting and corrupting this country.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
31 May 2026
Verb
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In several photos and videos posted on social media, the 30-year-old can be seen descending the sheer face of the crater and gripping handholds while performing various acrobatic tricks before falling into the volcanic waters below.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
15 June 2026
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Or perhaps an alien predator with a maw of steel has descended on the center of Washington to beam up the executive branch.—
Philip Kennicott,
Washington Post,
14 June 2026
Verb
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When plants are set too close together, air circulation is diminished, which encourages a more humid plant canopy that favors disease.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
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When family dinners are interrupted by smartphone dings or kids glued to their tablets, Sada Garibay and other experts noted, some of the benefits of the family dinner can be diminished.—
Elise Haulund,
CNN Money,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deteriorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorate. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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