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
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 deteriorate
Mohammadi's family says her health has been deteriorating in prison, in part because she was heavily beaten during her arrest.
—
ABC News, 6 May 2026
During opening statements in her trial on Tuesday, May 5, prosecutors said Lauren Maloberti abused and neglected the boy and failed to seek prompt medical treatment as his condition deteriorated, according to TribLive and WTAE.
—Staff Author, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
Many slides are deteriorating – the mounting medium that holds the cover slips can yellow and crack with time, obscuring the specimens from view.
—Ingrid C. Romero, The Conversation, 5 May 2026
Advertisement News reports based on review of court documents in the Fairfax case described a man whose mental and emotional health had been deteriorating for years—heavy drinking, emotional withdrawal, and mounting financial and legal pressure.
—Earl Smith, Time, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
ABC News, 6 May 2026
During opening statements in her trial on Tuesday, May 5, prosecutors said Lauren Maloberti abused and neglected the boy and failed to seek prompt medical treatment as his condition deteriorated, according to TribLive and WTAE.
—Staff Author, PEOPLE, 6 May 2026
Many slides are deteriorating – the mounting medium that holds the cover slips can yellow and crack with time, obscuring the specimens from view.
—Ingrid C. Romero, The Conversation, 5 May 2026
Advertisement News reports based on review of court documents in the Fairfax case described a man whose mental and emotional health had been deteriorating for years—heavy drinking, emotional withdrawal, and mounting financial and legal pressure.
—Earl Smith, Time, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for deteriorate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorate
Verb
-
Overreliance on one industry makes economies betting on high-tech development vulnerable to market corrections, if AI development falters, or if worsening commodities shortages eventually hinder production of electronic components.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
-
According to the National Institutes of Health's Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, Schwartz-Jampel syndrome is a condition where the muscles permanently stiffen and a person has bone abnormalities called chondrodysplasia, both of which can worsen over time.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
In applications like data centers, where batteries may cycle multiple times a day, lithium-ion systems degrade relatively quickly.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
6 May 2026
-
Corning's optical solutions ensure that the data being sent between servers doesn't degrade — a risk with the copper wires used historically before the era of agentic AI computing.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
A little trick is to crumble a stock cube into the marinade — this is a quick and easy way to add depth and rich, umami flavor.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 May 2026
-
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that Cuban authorities have not accepted an offer of $100 million in humanitarian aid from the United States to help a population struggling with widespread shortages and a crumbling economy.—
Nora Gámez Torres,
Miami Herald,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
As consumer activity has weakened, the central bank has warned about the growing misalignment between real sentiment and headline GDP growth.—
Stephanie Yang,
CNN Money,
12 May 2026
-
Heat can shrink fabrics, fade colors and weaken elastic fibers, which shortens the life of garments that would otherwise hold up for years.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
12 May 2026
Verb
-
Bass defended her administration’s handling of homelessness, pointing to declining homelessness counts and the city’s Inside Safe program, while criticizing Raman’s record on police hiring and past votes against some encampment enforcement measures near schools and other sensitive sites.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
8 May 2026
-
Spatola and his legal team declined to comment immediately after the verdict.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
An independent redistricting commission — transparent, balanced and insulated from the very political pressures that have corrupted this process.—
Daryl Campbell,
Sun Sentinel,
6 May 2026
-
In an era when youth sports can sometimes feel corrupted by money, pressure and adult ego, the Lee Corso Legacy Fund serves as a reminder of what sports are supposed to be about in the first place.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Reporters soon descended, leading to subsequent lore of a sort of revolt, with students, particularly varsity athletes, chasing reporters away, even — as legend has it — locking some in the music room.—
Jake Goodrick,
Sacbee.com,
9 May 2026
-
The event quickly descended into chaos as the rounds of shots sent thousands scrambling for cover, including fans, top city and state officials and state lawmakers in both Kansas and Missouri.—
Kacen Bayless,
Kansas City Star,
8 May 2026
Verb
-
Successive presidential administrations have done little to diminish alcohol’s harms.—
Lev Facher,
STAT,
12 May 2026
-
That evolution doesn’t diminish the importance of our core business.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deteriorate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorate. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
