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
It was noted at the time that some of the goals of the project are to address deteriorating freeway infrastructure constructed in the 1970s.
—
Erik S. Hanley, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Confidence in our economic leadership role in the world, our dollar, and our key financial institutions, both among many Americans and many abroad, is deteriorating.
—Robert Hormats, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
Leather furniture or clothing will crack and discolor due to environmental reasons, and rugs of any fabric will deteriorate and fall victim to moths, bugs, and birds looking for a dark, cool space.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
This means green signals are inherently weaker, and when outdoor sunlight adds noise, the measurement range shrinks even further, and accuracy deteriorates.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Erik S. Hanley, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2025
Confidence in our economic leadership role in the world, our dollar, and our key financial institutions, both among many Americans and many abroad, is deteriorating.
—Robert Hormats, Time, 3 Sep. 2025
Leather furniture or clothing will crack and discolor due to environmental reasons, and rugs of any fabric will deteriorate and fall victim to moths, bugs, and birds looking for a dark, cool space.
—Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2025
This means green signals are inherently weaker, and when outdoor sunlight adds noise, the measurement range shrinks even further, and accuracy deteriorates.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorate
Verb
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The company travels to Rome, where Blackshirts march in the piazzas, but Duse’s health worsens.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Sep. 2025
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Checking in with a pediatrician, school counselor, or a mental health professional can provide guidance before patterns worsen.—
Adrienne Farr,
Parents,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Today’s batteries depend on scarce resources like lithium and cobalt and degrade over time.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Sep. 2025
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These perform well at low to medium heat, but begin to degrade around 500 °F, potentially releasing harmful fumes that can pose health risks.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That this team won’t crumble in the face of adversity.—
Zack Rosenblatt,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
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Decades of underinvestment have left the country with congested highways, crumbling bridges, crowded airports — and a disjointed passenger rail network that is underfunded and unreliable.—
Ben Jones,
CNN Money,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Israeli strikes severely weakened Hezbollah – culminating in the assassination of its revered leader, Hassan Nasrallah – and significantly curtailed the group’s domestic clout.—
Mostafa Salem,
CNN Money,
5 Sep. 2025
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Symptoms related to Listeria monocytogenes Listeria is especially harmful to people whose immune system is weakened or not fully developed but can also impact healthy individuals.—
Julia Gomez,
USA Today,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Burberry's share price has fallen sharply over recent years, declining almost 80% from April 2023 to September 2024, as waning sales and a slew of management changes exacerbated a wider luxury downturn.—
Karen Gilchrist,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
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Morris and his attorneys declined comment.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
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We are absolutely not corrupted.—
Sarah Larson,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
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Microsoft has found no evidence that a recent Windows 11 update can corrupt a PC’s SSD, despite some user reports flagging the issue.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Journalists and television crews from around the world descended on the town of Morwell when the trial began in April, with millions of Australians following proceedings live through one of several popular daily podcasts.—
Alasdair Pal,
USA Today,
8 Sep. 2025
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Justin Jefferson and the Minnesota Vikings descend down to the shores of Lake Michigan, where Caleb Williams’ Chicago Bears await.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
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That transition will bring with it some advantages (the conflict of being a part of the Comcast empire is diminished) but also challenges.—
Alex Weprin,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Sep. 2025
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Many observers feel that the family’s power in Thailand is diminished, and its long dominant political machine could finally be out of steam.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deteriorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorate. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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