deteriorate

verb

de·​te·​ri·​o·​rate di-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌrāt 

dē-

deteriorated; deteriorating

transitive verb

1

: to make inferior in quality or value : impair

Exposure to sunlight may deteriorate the paint.

2

: disintegrate

intransitive verb

: to become impaired in quality, functioning, or condition : degenerate

allowed a tradition of academic excellence to deteriorate

his health deteriorated

deteriorative

di-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌrā-tiv 

dē-

adjective

Synonyms

• atrophy
• crumble
• decay
• decline
• degenerate
• descend
• devolve
• ebb
• regress
• retrograde
• rot
• sink
• worsen

Examples of deteriorate in a Sentence

efforts to save a deteriorating rain forest

Exposure to rain and sun will gradually deteriorate the paint.

Recent Examples on the Web

That volume is masking deteriorating demand from key sectors - particularly domestic manufacturing, which drives more than 60% of big rig ton miles, and ocean imports. —Lisa Baertlein, USA Today, 26 Apr. 2025

Armed violence fuels nutrition crisis for Haitian families Famine is looming in Haiti as violence between armed groups continues, alongside extreme poverty and a deteriorating economy. —Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025

The setting of the urban scenes was crafted by dressing up these Welsh locations to mimic a deteriorating American metropolis, Screen Rant reported. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Apr. 2025

Shea called on others in the international community to increase support for the response to Haiti's rapidly deteriorating situation, which is triggering one of the worst humanitarian crises in the hemisphere at a moment when Washington is cutting back on foreign assistance. —Arkansas Online, 22 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin deterioratus, past participle of deteriorare, from Latin deterior worse, from de- + -ter (suffix as in Latin uter which of two) + -ior (comparative suffix) — more at whether entry 2, -er

First Known Use

1572, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for deteriorate

• borosilicate
• decontaminate
• deoxycholate
• differentiate
• diisocyanate
• dinoflagellate
• excommunicate
• incapacitate
• insubordinate
• intercorporate
• interpenetrate
• isocyanate

Kids Definition

deteriorate

verb

de·​te·​ri·​o·​rate di-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌrāt 

deteriorated; deteriorating

1

: to make or become worse or of less value : degenerate

2

: disintegrate sense 1

deterioration

-ˌtir-ē-ə-ˈrā-shən

noun

deteriorative

-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌrāt-iv 

adjective

Medical Definition

deteriorate

intransitive verb

de·​te·​ri·​o·​rate di-ˈtir-ē-ə-ˌrāt 

deteriorated; deteriorating

: to become impaired in quality, functioning, or condition : degenerate

her health deteriorated

deteriorating vision