deteriorate

[ dih-teer-ee-uh-reyt ]

/ dɪˈtɪər i əˌreɪt /

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See synonyms for: deteriorate / deteriorated / deteriorating on Thesaurus.com

Definition of deteriorate

verb (used with or without object), de·te·ri·o·rat·ed, de·te·ri·o·rat·ing.

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

to disintegrate or wear away.

OTHER WORDS FOR deteriorate

1 degenerate, decline, worsen.

See synonyms for deteriorate on Thesaurus.com

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Origin of deteriorate

1565–75; <Late Latin dēteriōrātus made worse (past participle of dēteriōrāre), equivalent to Latin dēterior worse (dē from + -ter- formative in adjectives of spatial orientation (cf. exterior, interior) + -ior comparative suffix) + -ātus-ate¹

OTHER WORDS FROM deteriorate

de·te·ri·o·ra·tive, adjectiveun·de·te·ri·o·rat·ed, adjectiveun·de·te·ri·o·rat·ing, adjectiveun·de·te·ri·o·ra·tive, adjective

Words nearby deteriorate

detention home, deter, deterge, detergency, detergent, deteriorate, deterioration, determinable, determinacy, determinant, determinate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use deteriorate in a sentence

As the SERP situation deteriorated, the communication with the agency first soured, then the collaboration was terminated without the problem being resolved.
SEO horror stories: Here’s what not to do|Kaspar Szymanski|August 24, 2020|Search Engine Land
In just the United States, we’re looking at about $200 billion a year in deteriorating infrastructure.
Uncharted Power’s Jessica O. Matthews has a plan to revive America’s crumbling infrastructure|Brooke Henderson|August 23, 2020|Fortune
The error bars around short-season WAR are huge, and “on-pace” stats during a season usually deteriorate quickly.
Mookie Betts Is Playing Like An MVP — And The Dodgers Have Needed It|Neil Paine (neil.paine@fivethirtyeight.com)|August 20, 2020|FiveThirtyEight
The situation could deteriorate further as job losses have begun to mount.
Haves and Have-Nots: Pandemic Recovery Explodes China’s Wealth Gap|Daniel Malloy|August 19, 2020|Ozy

The Dalia survey also found that across the board, public perceptions of US global influence have markedly deteriorated.
Covid-19 and the geopolitics of American decline|Katie McLean|August 19, 2020|MIT Technology Review
At the same time, the Easter Elchies House began to deteriorate.
Ester Elchies, The Estate Built By Whiskey||December 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Yet, in pursuit of that ‘great revival of art,’ his anxiety, depression, and overall health began to deteriorate.
Decoding Vincent Van Gogh’s Tempestuous, Fragile Mind|Nick Mafi|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
As he got older, the two stopped going to the park, and their relationship began to deteriorate.
‘Escape From Tomorrow’: Making Disney’s Worst Nightmare|Marlow Stern|October 9, 2013|DAILY BEAST
This includes the ongoing and intensifying insurgency by "Jihadist" militants in Sinai, which continues to deteriorate.
Hamas in the Crosshairs|Hussein Ibish|July 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
But if the situation continues to deteriorate, that could start to change quickly.
Hamas-Egypt Tensions Take Toll On Gaza|Hussein Ibish|July 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Wines during fermentation, if improperly managed, will produce acetic acid, which will greatly deteriorate their quality.
The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction, No. 366|Various
But baked potatoes deteriorate every moment they stand after they are tender.
A Course of Lectures on the Principles of Domestic Economy and Cookery|Juliet Corson
Why is it that the more wealthy, all over Europe, who get flesh more or less, deteriorate in their families so rapidly?
Vegetable Diet: As Sanctioned by Medical Men, and by Experience in All Ages|William Andrus Alcott
In case they should sprout, the sprouts should be removed at once, for the potatoes will deteriorate rapidly with such a growth.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 2|Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
Care should be taken to cover each center completely or its quality will deteriorate upon standing.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 5|Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences

British Dictionary definitions for deteriorate

deteriorate

/ (dɪˈtɪərɪəˌreɪt) /

verb

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

(intr) to wear away or disintegrate

Derived forms of deteriorate

deterioration, noundeteriorative, adjective

Word Origin for deteriorate

C16: from Late Latin dēteriōrāre, from Latin dēterior worse

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for deteriorate

deteriorate

[ dĭ-tîr′ē-ə-rāt′ ]

To grow worse in function or condition.

To weaken or disintegrate.

deteriorate

Definition of deteriorate

OTHER WORDS FOR deteriorate

Origin of deteriorate

OTHER WORDS FROM deteriorate

Words nearby deteriorate

Words related to deteriorate

How to use deteriorate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for deteriorate

Derived forms of deteriorate

Word Origin for deteriorate

Medical definitions for deteriorate