deteriorate

[dih-teer-ee-uh-reyt] / dɪˈtɪər i əˌreɪt /

VERB

decay, degenerate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

crumble decline degrade depreciate disintegrate ebb fade fail fall apart languish lessen lower regress sink slide undermine weaken worsen

STRONG

adulterate alloy break corrode corrupt debase debilitate decompose deprave descend flag impair injure lapse mar pervert retrograde retrogress rot skid spoil vitiate

WEAK

be worse for wear become worse disimprove go downhill go to pieces go to pot go to the dogs hit the skids lose it lose quality wear away

Antonyms

STRONGEST

approve compliment elevate grow improve increase laud praise raise rise strengthen

STRONG

aid assist build clean cleanse clear cure fix heal help join mend purify put together

WEAK

construct develop get better

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

When oxygen levels fall, river health can deteriorate, putting fish and other freshwater species at risk.

From Science Daily • May 17, 2026

The consensus-beating performance comes as the online retailer has seen its bottom line deteriorate since it entered China’s highly competitive food-delivery market in early 2025, taking on the likes of Meituan and Alibaba Group.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026

But Hanoi aims to stay on good terms with all global powers through its traditional "bamboo diplomacy" approach, while Tokyo has seen its already frosty relations with Beijing deteriorate markedly in recent months.

From Barron's • May 2, 2026

"We lived near the Wye for 20 years, and saw it deteriorate, but we didn't imagine that river pollution would affect us so much."

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

Unless we somehow acquired some more gas or descended to a lower camp, I knew that my teammates and I would continue to deteriorate rapidly.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

Vocabulary lists containing deteriorate

List 3

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