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
But Judge Kaplan wasn’t convinced the situation wouldn’t deteriorate again.
—
Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Earlier this year, after the contract with the UFCW expired on March 2, the relationship between the food workers and Stater Bros. deteriorated quickly when the chain executives told 63 courtesy clerks they were laid off because of inflation and tariffs.
—Pat Maio, Oc Register, 7 Aug. 2025
Steve Witkoff is visiting Israel as its government faces mounting pressure over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the enclave.
—Emily Rose, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2025
Another attempt is likely Friday, although weather conditions will deteriorate somewhat.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Earlier this year, after the contract with the UFCW expired on March 2, the relationship between the food workers and Stater Bros. deteriorated quickly when the chain executives told 63 courtesy clerks they were laid off because of inflation and tariffs.
—Pat Maio, Oc Register, 7 Aug. 2025
Steve Witkoff is visiting Israel as its government faces mounting pressure over the deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the enclave.
—Emily Rose, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2025
Another attempt is likely Friday, although weather conditions will deteriorate somewhat.
—Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorate
Verb
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The company behind the Warner Bros. studio, the HBO Max streaming service and cable networks including CNN and HGTV saw improving results for its streaming operations and production studios, even as conditions for its traditional TV networks appeared to worsen.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
7 Aug. 2025
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If the body is already in a state of chronic stress, for example, intense workouts can actually worsen the condition.—
Mélanie Defouilloy,
Vogue,
6 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Although Israel did not fully eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities, its air campaign delayed, degraded, and deterred Iran’s ambitions, and further transformed the Middle East’spolitical landscape.—
DAVID A. DEPTULA,
Foreign Affairs,
11 Aug. 2025
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They are also believed to degrade water quality, which can hurt sensitive organisms like freshwater mussels.—
Madeline Heim,
jsonline.com,
7 Aug. 2025
Verb
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However, the film often crumbles under the weight of the ambitions.—
Sweta Kaushal,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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Then dice and mix into leafy green salads with ingredients like nuts, seeds, and crumbled feta for a colorful, nutritious twist.—
Lauren O'Connor,
Health,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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For Trump, whose political brand has long relied on projecting authenticity to his base, a sustained decline in honesty ratings could weaken his ability to roll out his agenda.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 Aug. 2025
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This means banana particles can remain between teeth for an extended period, giving bacteria more time to produce acids that weaken tooth enamel.14 6.—
Lindsay Curtis,
Verywell Health,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Any guest who declines to be searched may be denied entry.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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Trump has refrained from endorsing a successor and declined to endorse Vice President JD Vance for the role in February.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The chances that the data would be corrupted three times is very unlikely, Kinget points out.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
10 Aug. 2025
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Jefferson and his supporters understood that such mixing of church and state corrupted both.—
Time,
Time,
10 July 2025
Verb
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The cybersecurity community has descended once again on Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas for Black Hat USA 2025—and the mood feels different this year.—
Tony Bradley,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
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Video of the rescue shows authorities descending toward the rocky coastline with crashing waves as the rescuer secures both hikers before the helicopter lifts them into the air and takes them to safety.—
Jon Haworth,
ABC News,
5 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The transit systems that give independence to hundreds of thousands of people living with disabilities will be severely diminished.—
Karen Tamley,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Aug. 2025
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Rather than diminishing us, this should decentralize our ego.—
Dax Grant,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deteriorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorate. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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