deteriorate

[dih-teer-ee-uh-reyt]

verb (used with or without object)

deteriorated, deteriorating 

1. to make or become worse or inferior in condition, character, quality, value, etc.

   Synonyms: worsen, decline, degenerate

2. to disintegrate or wear away.

deteriorate

/ dɪˈtɪərɪəˌreɪt /

verb

1. to make or become worse or lower in quality, value, character, etc; depreciate

2. (intr) to wear away or disintegrate

Other Word Forms

• deteriorative adjective
• undeteriorated adjective
• undeteriorative adjective
• deterioration noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of deteriorate¹

First recorded in 1565–75; from Late Latin dēteriōrātus “made worse,” past participle of dēteriōrāre “to make worse,” from Latin dēterior “worse,” from dē de- + -ter-, element in adjectives relating to spatial orientation + -ior, comparative suffix; exterior, interior

Word History and Origins

Origin of deteriorate¹

C16: from Late Latin dēteriōrāre, from Latin dēterior worse

Example Sentences

Historically, “the fundamentally weaker small- and microcap stocks tend to deteriorate well before final tops. Major bubble tops do not occur under current conditions.”

Read more on MarketWatch

Besides his bearish opinion on tech, given his stance on inflation and unsustainable deficits, he also doesn’t like bonds and thinks credit spreads are unjustifiably tight given the deteriorating economic outlook.

Read more on MarketWatch

This week, UPS said External link it cut 48,000 employees and Amazon announced 14,000 layoffs, worsening concern that the labor market could start to deteriorate because momentum in hiring has stalled.

Read more on Barron's

Her mental health had deteriorated while she was facing trial for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend.

Read more on BBC

Under his rule Venezuela “has deteriorated into a narco-terrorist structure” that is “deeply aligned with, and heavily influenced by, the Cuban regime.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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