- present participle of deteriorate.
deteriorating
Americanadjective
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becoming worse or inferior in condition, character, quality, value, etc..
A deteriorating house, whatever the cause, will have an adverse effect on your real estate investment.
Officials have warned of a deteriorating security situation in the disputed territory.
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disintegrating or wearing away.
If what you have underneath is fabric or fiberglass, I’d be concerned that deteriorating paint is letting ultraviolet rays do their worst to your aircraft.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of deteriorating
First recorded in 1680–90; deteriorate ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. )
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.
BMW shares fell 11%, dragging the sector at large after the company slashed guidance due to a deteriorating Chinese market and the spillover effects of the Middle East conflict.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 18, 2026
In the mid-1990s, after a period of dwindling ratings and deteriorating cultural relevance, the WWF embarked on a radical brand pivot.
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026
Whether this is intentional behavior born of the arrogance of power or a symptom of a deteriorating mental state is somewhat beside the point.
From Salon • May 26, 2026
The six-to-12 month outlook for financial markets is deteriorating as inventories fall, inflation risks rise and higher capital costs become more relevant for the AI capital expenditure boom.
From MarketWatch • May 22, 2026
The photo-cell banks were deteriorating more rapidly than had seemed likely.
From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
