deteriorate
Americanverb (used with or without object)
-
to make or become worse or inferior in condition, character, quality, value, etc.
- Synonyms:
- worsen, decline, degenerate
-
to disintegrate or wear away.
verb
-
to make or become worse or lower in quality, value, character, etc; depreciate
-
(intr) to wear away or disintegrate
Other Word Forms
- deterioration noun
- deteriorative adjective
- undeteriorated adjective
- undeteriorative adjective
Etymology
Origin of deteriorate
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
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.
Speaking at an annual defence conference, Jonson also lamented that the security situation had deteriorated compared to a year earlier.
From Barron's
“The façade was badly deteriorated, and the interior was … well, let’s say it was very lived-in,” according to their architect, Ben Bischoff.
From MarketWatch
This is the latest example of the deteriorating relations between Washington and Mogadishu.
From BBC
“The trifecta of rich valuations, increasing macro risk, and—perhaps most importantly—deteriorating company fundamentals is very dangerous,” the authors wrote.
From Barron's
This has all changed, however, with all of these trends thrown into reverse: deglobalization; disrupted supply chains; deteriorating demographic trends; and, of course, the potential threat of rising energy prices.
From MarketWatch
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.
