DETERIORATE Synonyms: 128 Similar and Opposite Words

deteriorate

verb

di-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌrāt

Definition of deteriorate

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

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 McConnell is holding a copy of Sunday’s edition of The Washington Post, seemingly to confirm the date the photo was taken and to quiet widespread speculation about his deteriorating health. — Zack Sharf, Variety, 13 July 2026 The security situation in Hormuz rapidly deteriorated over the past week. — Brian Sullivan,spencer Kimball, CNBC, 13 July 2026 Relations between the Malian military junta and Algeria began to deteriorate two years ago, when Mali ended a crucial 2015 peace deal with local Azawad separatists, mainly mediated by Algeria. — ABC News, 11 July 2026 The zoo is facing headwinds as membership has declined precipitously and facilities have deteriorated, according to an Los Angeles County civil grand jury report. — Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for deteriorate

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorate

Verb

For example, Gjoni says worsening insulin resistance and declining metabolic health can appear in bloodwork years before a diabetes diagnosis.

— Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 14 July 2026
Healthcare staffing challenges will likely worsen, according to a 2025 US Health Resources and Services Administration projection, with the agency predicting a shortage of 70,610 primary care doctors by 2038.

— Amen Galinato, CNN Money, 14 July 2026

Definition of worsen

Verb

There’s no danger of spontaneous mass illiteracy, but the complex cognitive skills that reading fosters start to degrade.

— Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
Weather changes, tires degrade, a safety car appears, a driver reports instability or an opponent pits earlier than expected, and the team has seconds to decide whether to stay with the plan or change it.

— Erum Manzoor, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of degrade

Verb

Six months later, the longtime Sacramento Executive Airport institution remains closed after crews uncovered crumbling concrete, corroded rebar, asbestos and mold.

— Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
But cliffs tend to crumble slowly over time, punctuated with a sudden collapse.

— Rosanna Xia, Los Angeles Times, 14 July 2026

Definition of crumble

Verb

The flow of dark traffic is one of the factors that helped explain why oil markets had weakened significantly by early June, together with a surge in exports from the US and pullback in buying by China.

— Weilun Soon, Fortune, 5 July 2026
But as several surveys have consistently indicated, optimism about our country's outlook has undeniably weakened.

— Robert Hormats, Time, 4 July 2026

Definition of weaken

Verb

Bogdanos declined the cash, which is instead being donated to nonprofits of his choosing.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 9 July 2026
Even as remote work has declined from its pandemic highs, the data shows nearly 22% of workers still worked at least partly from home in 2025, only 1 percentage point less than the number who partly worked from home during the year prior.

— Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 9 July 2026

Definition of decline

Verb

Exploits will trigger guest-side actions alone to corrupt the host kernel’s shadow page, a data structure in the host that assists in the address translation.

— Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2026
If religion is corrupted by breaking down the wall of separation, much the same is true of the state.

— Kenneth Seeskin, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026

Definition of corrupt

Verb

But last weekend’s mayhem, in which thousands descended on the community and more than 400 ended up under arrest, has hit Newport Beach differently, spurring calls for the city leaders to take decisive action.

— Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
Barely a month ago, there was plenty of fretting that FIFA had grossly overestimated the crowds that would descend on the tournament’s host cities and stadiums.

— Henri Hollis, AJC.com, 9 July 2026

Definition of descend

Verb

Give ample space to large vehicles - Trucks or buses can create a water spray that diminishes visibility.

— CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
Kylian Mbappé’s powers were diminished in that tournament after sustaining a broken nose, while emerging stars like Michael Olise and Désiré Doué were yet to break through.

— James Robson, Chicago Tribune, 13 July 2026

Definition of diminish

Browse Nearby Words

deterging

deteriorate

deteriorated

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“Deteriorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorate. Accessed 16 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of deteriorate

verb

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