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
The movie, out now, follows Irene (Liu), her son Joe (Lawrence Shou), whose relationship deteriorates in the wake of his schizophrenia diagnosis.
—
Hannah Malach, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
Your mailbox is a small feature that can signal neglect if it’s dated, deteriorating, or crooked.
—Jane Kim, The Spruce, 11 Mar. 2026
When the uncomfortable traveler asked the Alabama woman to move her arm off his back, things quickly deteriorated.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Dane had been scheduled to be part of a bonus episode for the series, but then his health began to deteriorate, which made filming impossible.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Hannah Malach, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
Your mailbox is a small feature that can signal neglect if it’s dated, deteriorating, or crooked.
—Jane Kim, The Spruce, 11 Mar. 2026
When the uncomfortable traveler asked the Alabama woman to move her arm off his back, things quickly deteriorated.
—Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 11 Mar. 2026
Dane had been scheduled to be part of a bonus episode for the series, but then his health began to deteriorate, which made filming impossible.
—Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorate
Verb
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If conditions worsen, the state will move into phase three.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
18 Mar. 2026
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Carolina Rodriguez, director of the Education Debt Consumer Assistance Program in New York, said the backlog for relief programs could worsen as borrowers in the now-defunct Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan submit applications to access a new repayment plan.—
Annie Nova,
CNBC,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has been degraded during the American and Israeli war against it, but remains far from neutralized.—
Mike Brest,
The Washington Examiner,
11 Mar. 2026
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Conventional relay-lens setups often degrade beam quality or require precise positioning.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Inspired by the helter-skelter brickwork of Chiang Mai's crumbling temples, their façades feature masonry laid in intricate motifs and wooden lattices that create beautiful shadowy patterns when the sun hits.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
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The lack of oil has exacerbated the existing problems with Cuba’s crumbling electrical grid and led to nearly constant blackouts all over the island.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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When presidents sidestep formal addresses and Congress declines to insist upon them, the deliberative architecture of the republic weakens.—
Kenneth Zagacki,
Sun Sentinel,
17 Mar. 2026
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High supply and weakening renter demand have apartment landlords living in an ever-more competitive space.—
Diana Olick,
CNBC,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Scientists disagree on whether these young trees will mature into forest giants or decline due to drought and a warming climate.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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But exactly how the tragedy unfolded has remained unclear and the Pentagon has declined comment, saying the investigation remains ongoing.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In his Phaedrus, Plato attacked reading as corrupting true philosophical dialectic.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Mar. 2026
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Yet, there’s a strong counter-argument that power doesn’t corrupt a person, but merely lays bare their ethics or lack thereof.—
Charles Lewis III,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Our subsequent Nora movie nights had to be spaced apart because a pall descended and lingered for days after them.—
Han Ong,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
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As the summer air thickens with diffused sunlight and harsh humidity, a psychological fog descends on our young protagonist.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But Waddle’s production diminished the past three years because of myriad factors, including Tagovailoa’s regression, some drops by Waddle and Hill commanding more targets before his September injury last year.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
17 Mar. 2026
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Israel’s indie film industry is diminished, squeezed between endless conflict, global boycotts over Gaza and defunding threats from the country’s right-wing government, and hopes are slim for a presence in Cannes this year.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deteriorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorate. Accessed 18 Mar. 2026.
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