1
as in worsens
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 degrades
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 deteriorates
The Backyard cast also features Katie MacNichol as Gladys’ daughter Ellen, Alexander Ameen as Ellen’s husband Howard, and William Huffaker as a young painter from Boston named Don Bowman whom Gladys seeks to help even as her mental state deteriorates.
—
David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2025
As the situation deteriorates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany among others have urged their nationals to leave Bamako.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
Exposure to such content also deteriorates her audience’s ability to form beliefs on the basis of the evidence and primes them for skepticism toward consequential matters like vaccines and medicine.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 16 Oct. 2025
There is still plenty of long-term risk, depending on the rate at which Connor’s game deteriorates in his 30s.
—Murat Ates, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
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, 1 Oct. 2025
Advertisement Our hygiene deteriorates.
—Eli Sharabi, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
Eventually, due to lack of movement, muscle tissue deteriorates, and parts of your body stop functioning permanently.
—Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
Trust erodes, culture deteriorates, and the long-term health of the organization is put at risk.
—Christopher Kaufman, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
David L. Coddon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Nov. 2025
As the situation deteriorates, the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany among others have urged their nationals to leave Bamako.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 2 Nov. 2025
Exposure to such content also deteriorates her audience’s ability to form beliefs on the basis of the evidence and primes them for skepticism toward consequential matters like vaccines and medicine.
—Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 16 Oct. 2025
There is still plenty of long-term risk, depending on the rate at which Connor’s game deteriorates in his 30s.
—Murat Ates, New York Times, 9 Oct. 2025
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, 1 Oct. 2025
Advertisement Our hygiene deteriorates.
—Eli Sharabi, Time, 1 Oct. 2025
Eventually, due to lack of movement, muscle tissue deteriorates, and parts of your body stop functioning permanently.
—Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2025
Trust erodes, culture deteriorates, and the long-term health of the organization is put at risk.
—Christopher Kaufman, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorates
Verb
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Sixteen million people risk losing all food assistance even as global hunger worsens.—
ARIF HUSAIN,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Nov. 2025
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Others may find that dairy worsens their symptoms, possibly due to its high fat content.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Her current research focuses on trying to understand how human environmental DNA preserves and degrades in sediment through time — on both long and short timescales.—
Katie Hunt,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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The goal is to understand exactly how and why performance degrades over time.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Toby’s display, overall, looks a lot nicer, but when Paul goes to take a slice of his cake from the chocolate case, the whole thing crumbles to a mess.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
3 Oct. 2025
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At times, the house would break apart onstage, with the top half lifted in the air, only for YoungBoy to start aggressively rapping, standing supreme while the house crumbles around him.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Lee was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy at age 2, a degenerative disease that gradually weakens muscles.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
6 Nov. 2025
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Unlike some of the burger chain’s peers, Cramer said McDonald’s has immense scale and strength and is making an effort to lower prices as consumer spending weakens.—
Julie Coleman,
CNBC,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Carol is casually chatting with her manager and romantic partner, Helen (Miriam Shor), when the pathogen descends on everyone, creating a horrific scene of silent, seizing bodies.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
7 Nov. 2025
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Regardless, this film also boasts a oner for the ages, as a raincoat mafia descends upon a rave and a pair of bloodthirsty lovers.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Rather than simply attacking YoungBoy, Choppa frames himself as a corrective force, casting YoungBoy as someone who corrupts impressionable listeners.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 Nov. 2025
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Absolute power corrupts absolutely.—
Heidi Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Aug. 2025
Verb
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To confront vaquita declines, in 2019 the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species established an agreement to help eliminate supply and demand for totoabas and help remove gill nets from the upper Gulf of California.—
Ryan Green,
Scientific American,
6 Nov. 2025
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Then if a player who declines a qualifying offer signs elsewhere, their new team must forfeit at least one draft pick and their previous team is granted one as compensation.—
Mac Cerullo,
Boston Herald,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
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To show him who’s boss, Catherine turns around and buys Pac-North, humiliates him by closing it, and forces him back to Grey Sloan.—
Maggie Fremont,
Vulture,
9 Oct. 2025
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There’s always a moment in which somebody humiliates the villain and now all the love in him is gone.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
24 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deteriorates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorates. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.
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