deteriorating 1 of 2

adjective

1
as in deteriorated

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Dissimilar Words
2
as in declining

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Dissimilar Words

deteriorating

2 of 2

verb

present participle of deteriorate
1
as in crumbling
to become worse or of less value the garden slowly deteriorated after months of neglect

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in degrading
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

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 deteriorating
Adjective
The Federal Bureau of Prisons closed the site in 2024 due to deteriorating conditions and understaffing. — Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 9 June 2026
Verb
Families of some of the 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard the Lincoln describe low morale and deteriorating conditions. — Alexander Smith, NBC news, 14 Aug. 2026 Concerns about mental health deteriorating on these types of deployments are well-founded. — Christopher Buchanan, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026 That approach, Cramer said, is why investors shouldn't automatically treat weak guidance — or a falling stock — as evidence that a company's fundamentals are deteriorating. — Alexa Lomonaco, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026 The figures highlight how improved investor confidence in the two years since the coalition government took office has been undercut by a deteriorating labor market. — Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 12 Aug. 2026 Reddington also argued that Jollotta was inaccessible during a brief vacation, while Clancy's mental health was deteriorating. — Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 11 Aug. 2026 Guzmán pointed to Colombia’s deteriorating fiscal position as the administration’s most immediate challenge. — Armando Regil Velasco, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026 The deteriorating security situation at sea is a huge challenge for everybody in the maritime shipping community. — Craig Hooper, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Studies in urban areas have found homes with deteriorating paint have contaminated nearby gardens. — Chris Bowling, ProPublica, 4 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorating
  1. deteriorated
  2. declining
  3. crumbling
  4. degrading
  5. decaying
  6. fading
  7. worsening
  8. weakening
Adjective
  • Clark said the supports are needed because equipment used in the investigation is too heavy and difficult to maneuver safely on the deteriorated floor.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026
  • According to the officer, the decision to classify Sands' death as such was the result of the deteriorated condition of his body.
    — Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 27 June 2026
Definition of deteriorated
Adjective
  • While pruning, remove any winter damage, along with dead and declining growths, to allow new shoots to reform the plant.
    — Tom MacCubbin, orlandosentinel.com, 6 Mar. 2021
  • In order to reopen, counties must demonstrate declining prevalence of COVID-19, testing ability of 30 tests per 10,000 residents per week, contact tracing and isolation facilities.
    — Fox News, Fox News, 15 May 2020
Definition of declining
Verb
  • When the government took over Riis, the east wing of the crumbling bathhouse was given over to the National Park Service lifeguards.
    — Jake Offenhartz, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The club and regional government have both had different design and financing ideas for modernising the crumbling Vallecas stadium.
    — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of crumbling
Verb
  • The Kremlin has also started to systematically target Ukrainian ports and ships in the Black Sea in hopes of degrading the infrastructure that supports the country’s agricultural exports.
    — Alexander Gabuev, Foreign Affairs, 31 July 2026
  • In a public service announcement Thursday, the agencies said water and wastewater utilities have reported incidents to the FBI, with some malicious activity degrading water operations.
    — Daniel Arkin, NBC news, 31 July 2026
Definition of degrading
Adjective
  • The district also could be in for other major changes in the coming years, including the opening of a few new schools to replace multiple decaying, underenrolled schools.
    — Scott Travis, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026
Definition of decaying
Adjective
  • The classic budget-friendly design features a high-rise waistband that stays put, stretchy fabric that’s moisture-wicking and non-fading, and versatile colors like classic black and army green.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 June 2026
  • In Aniara, the entire natural world is simply absent, a fading, unsustainable memory of something once alive.
    — Jenny Odell, Longreads, 2 June 2026
Definition of fading
Verb
  • The Washington’s deployment comes as reports have emerged in recent months recounting worsening living conditions, mental health concerns, and supply shortages on board the Lincoln.
    — Connor Greene, Time, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The exploration licenses were granted before Greenland stopped issuing new licenses in 2021, citing the worsening climate crisis.
    — Sam Meredith, CNBC, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of worsening
Verb
  • Sansoni’s study suggests that years of scrolling on Instagram can weaken our ability to rely on these inner signals, essentially weakening our brain’s ability to accurately perceive its own face and body.
    — Nicole Karlis, Allure, 14 Aug. 2026
  • The danger Pelath is concerned about is when the river banks are saturated, some root systems let go, sending more trees into the river and weakening the banks.
    — Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of weakening

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Cite this Entry

“Deteriorating.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorating. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on deteriorating

Nglish: Translation of deteriorating for Spanish Speakers

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