deteriorate

[ dih-teer-ee-uh-reyt ]
/ dɪˈtɪər i əˌreɪt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR deteriorate ON THESAURUS.COM

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.

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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. 2020

Words related to deteriorate

decline, sink, ebb, worsen, disintegrate, lessen, lower, crumble, undermine, regress, slide, degrade, fade, fail, languish, depreciate, weaken, retrogress, pervert, debilitate

Example sentences from the Web for deteriorate

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′ ]

v.

To grow worse in function or condition.
To weaken or disintegrate.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.