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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deteriorate
The carbon nanotubes are highly sensitive at room temperature, enabling Bassil to select a larger range of gas-sensitive materials, including those that might deteriorate at high temperatures – polymers are one example.
—
Shirl Leigh
june 26,
New Atlas,
26 June 2026
Breaking them down to save for a later date isn’t enough, as bugs will still nestle their way in even as the cardboard deteriorates.
—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 June 2026
The situation in Haiti has deteriorated since armed groups took control of most of Port-au-Prince in 2024.
—
Tirana Hassan,
Time,
26 June 2026
As their play deteriorated, the Mets finally bottomed out.
—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Shirl Leigh
june 26,
New Atlas,
26 June 2026
Breaking them down to save for a later date isn’t enough, as bugs will still nestle their way in even as the cardboard deteriorates.
—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 June 2026
The situation in Haiti has deteriorated since armed groups took control of most of Port-au-Prince in 2024.
—
Tirana Hassan,
Time,
26 June 2026
As their play deteriorated, the Mets finally bottomed out.
—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
26 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorate
Verb
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On top of the usual risks that come with surgery, a botched revision can mean permanent scarring, loss of nasal support, worsened breathing, or a result that's structurally too compromised to correct again.
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Pulmonary fibrosis is a lung disease that worsens over time and occurs when lung tissue becomes damaged and scarred, according to Mayo Clinic.
Verb
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This involves sealing all cracks, crevices and entry points with materials that won't degrade over time.
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Batteries degrade, actuators wear out, sensors drift, and every safety case has to hold.
Verb
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Yet robust economic growth has proved elusive, even as government debt has climbed, leaving successive administrations with little firepower to fix a growing list of related challenges, from crumbling infrastructure to a chronic housing shortage.
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All of this was a source of ongoing friction; and the glue that held the USSR together, military might and communist ideology, had been crumbling for some time.
Verb
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Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty Images BEIJING — China’s consumer spending slowdown persisted in June, with growth during one of the country’s largest online shopping festivals weakening sharply from a year earlier.
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All three of those protagonists have been weakened in their roles by what has gone on.
Verb
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With only a week of freedom under his belt, Cribbs said Powell is declining interviews for now, reentering the world with some trepidation.
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The Padres declined comment for this column.
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.
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Character also involves standing up to people who are bankrupting and corrupting this country.
Verb
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Then something unusual happened as Valdez descended in the boom lift with Pinky’s remains.
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Collin Morikawa birdied 18 to catch Scheffler and ducked into the clubhouse at 20 under as the rains descended upon the TPC River Highlands.
Verb
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Historically, after that period, the chances of survival without a water source diminish rapidly.
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Prolonged exposure to heat can lead to insufficient or poor sleep, compromising the immune system, increasing the risk for cardiovascular disease and diminishing cognitive performance.
Cite this Entry
“Deteriorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorate. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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