1
as in to worsen
to become worse or of less value
the garden slowly deteriorated after months of neglect
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of deteriorate
In November, the five-time Grammy winner revealed to ABC News’ Robin Roberts that his eyesight had deteriorated and that plans for a new album were put on hold as a result of the health issue.
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Tom Tapp, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2025
But over the past few years, as Jabbar worked to climb the corporate ladder, his life began to deteriorate.
—NBC News, 4 Jan. 2025
With ice and sleet falling first, roads are expected to deteriorate quickly.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 3 Jan. 2025
Divorce records also show Mr. Jabbar faced a deteriorating financial situation in January 2022.
—Kristie Rieken, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for deteriorate 
Tom Tapp, Deadline, 5 Jan. 2025
But over the past few years, as Jabbar worked to climb the corporate ladder, his life began to deteriorate.
—NBC News, 4 Jan. 2025
With ice and sleet falling first, roads are expected to deteriorate quickly.
—Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 3 Jan. 2025
Divorce records also show Mr. Jabbar faced a deteriorating financial situation in January 2022.
—Kristie Rieken, The Christian Science Monitor, 3 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for deteriorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorate
Verb
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The possible financial obligations due to the Child Victims Act could worsen a mounting fiscal crisis in Maryland.Gary Collins, Baltimore Sun, 16 Jan. 2025
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Such an act of nature would only worsen the already-disastrous circumstances LA citizens are dealing with right now.Amber Corrine, VIBE.com, 16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Alarming figures indicate that 40% of the earth’s land is already degraded, impacting half of the human population and half of the global GDP, underscoring the severity of the challenge faced by communities today.Sanam Mahoozi, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
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There are a number of ways that these tiny pieces of plastic can become airborne, including from sea spray, textiles sitting in landfills interacting with the wind, degrading tires as people drive, and more.7 Wildfire smoke is another common way people breathe in microplastics, Johnson said.Brian Mastroianni, Health, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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From crumbling drainage systems to outdated technologies, urban spaces need fresh ideas and investments to keep up with the demands of modern living.Rhett Power, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
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Perpetually in search of funding, the M.T.A. has put off essential infrastructure repairs for decades, allowing century-old subway tunnels and tracks to crumble.Ana Ley, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Elon Musk, one of Trump’s confidants, has already met with Iran’s UN ambassador; now that Israel has weakened Tehran and pummeled its proxies in the Middle East, a diplomatic breakthrough may be achievable.Charles A. Kupchan, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2025
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The widening yield differentials between Chinese and U.S. sovereign bonds could risk encouraging capital outflows and put further pressure on the yuan that has been weakening against the greenback.Anniek Bao, CNBC, 10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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John Irving, an attorney for de Oliveira, declined to comment on Cannon's ruling.Melissa Quinn, CBS News, 13 Jan. 2025
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Part of the reason for this appears to be the expectation that mortgage rates may decline in future and the associated uncertainty for long-term rates.Simon Moore, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
Verb
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If Xi is promoting corrupt officials, this suggests the party's internal vetting apparatus is not functioning effectively or, more seriously, is itself corrupted.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
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Women are obliged to cover themselves in front of non-Muslim males and females to avoid being corrupted.Jackson Thompson, Fox News, 1 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Some 8,000 people descended on San Francisco for one of the healthcare industry’s biggest events this week: The 43rd annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference.Alex Knapp, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
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When dusk descends into darkness, thousands of the insects light up in unison to the beat of some imperceptible drum.Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Austria will likely not face fines in the manner of Hungary, but security cooperation will diminish.Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
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Maryland faltered for the first time, a loss that dims but shouldn’t diminish its impressive start as its ceiling comes clearer into focus.Taylor Lyons, Baltimore Sun, 9 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near deteriorate
Cite this Entry
“Deteriorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorate. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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