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 Set during the first days of summer, as inflation rises, power cuts intensify and a solar eclipse approaches, the film follows Bego, 12, left to occupy herself while her family contends with the country’s deteriorating economy. — Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 30 July 2026 Prosecutors said Colin Gray ignored warning signs about his son's deteriorating mental health and continued providing him with access to guns, including the AR-15-style rifle authorities said was used in the attack. — Brittany Miller, FOXNews.com, 30 July 2026 Colt Gray, who was 14 at the time of the shooting, had shown signs of deteriorating mental health in the weeks leading up to the killings, according to testimony during his sentencing hearing. — Kate Brumback, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026 Why nursing jobs are getting more difficult Conditions for nurses were bad before the pandemic, got even worse during it, and appear to be deteriorating further a few years out, according to research Lasater and her colleagues recently published. — Alana Semuels, Time, 30 July 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
  • But a trio of economists, including former IMF Chief Economist Gita Gopinath, insist that appreciation could worsen Chinese deflation and further reduce demand for foreign goods, exacerbating imbalances.
    — Andy Browne, semafor.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Artificial intelligence can worsen this by confidently directing attention, causing users to stop searching prematurely if AI's initial answer is plausible but incorrect.
    — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of worsen
Verb
  • But who has the time to wait for AI images to degrade naturally as they get passed around the Internet?
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 29 July 2026
  • The signal degrades at every step along this journey, and the guessers have to do their best with some pretty warped data.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 28 July 2026
Definition of degrade
Verb
  • State road officials on Saturday closed an exit on the Kennedy Expressway near Jefferson Park after part of a retaining wall crumbled.
    — Allison Kiehl, Chicago Tribune, 2 Aug. 2026
  • But after the platform changed its algorithm and views of PurelyWhite content plummeted, his business crumbled.
    — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of crumble
Verb
  • Analysts are less optimistic that the latest intervention could fundamentally alter the broader course of the yen’s weakening.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2026
  • If the partner feels disconnected from the hotel brand, the benefit may add utility while weakening the program’s positioning.
    — Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of weaken
Verb
  • When reached by phone by CNN, one of the lead doctors for the trial, Yu Yongguo, declined to comment and hung up.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 31 July 2026
  • The Pentagon declined to comment when contacted by CBS News for this story.
    — James LaPorta, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Definition of decline
Verb
  • The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has reported that AI training data and inputs are being manipulated and warned that attackers could influence model behavior by corrupting the information AI systems rely upon.
    — Syed Ali, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • Most of the other relationships in the movie are hopelessly corrupted or poisoned in some way, as Letty moves between an unloving mother and a vengeful former lover, and others whose closeness is a weapon to be feared.
    — Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 28 July 2026
Definition of corrupt
Verb
  • About 40 minutes later, as the plane was starting to descend, it was hit by ice and almost simultaneously, Nome’s runways closed for deicing that would last 10 to 15 minutes, the NTSB reported.
    — Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 30 July 2026
  • Thousands will descend on Genesee Park to catch the celebrations in and around the waters of Lake Washington.
    — Zachary Fletcher, USA Today, 30 July 2026
Definition of descend
Verb
  • One thing that might be over — or at least greatly diminished — will be submissions for the supporting acting categories for limited series/movie next year if the academy makes this revision permanent.
    — Glenn Whipp, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026
  • Errors damaged trust and diminished influence whether or not the robot was expressive.
    — Yigit Topoglu, The Conversation, 3 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 6 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of deteriorate for Spanish Speakers

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