deterioration

American  

[dih-teer-ee-uh-rey-shuhn] / dɪˌtɪər i əˈreɪ ʃən /

noun

deteriorations plural

1. the act or process of deteriorating.

2. the state or condition of having deteriorated.

3. a gradual decline, as in quality, serviceability, or vigor.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nondeterioration
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• deteriorations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of deterioration

1650–60; < Late Latin dēteriōrātiōn- (stem of dēteriōrātiō ), equivalent to dēteriōrāt ( us ) ( see deteriorate) + -iōn- -ion

Explanation

If something is in a state of deterioration, it's getting worse. A crumbling old house with a caved-in roof and foot-tall weeds growing through the deck is going through deterioration. Deterioration implies that things are falling apart: something once in good condition is now weakened, worn out, or otherwise in decline. Things often undergo deterioration because of neglect. Time also has a lot to do with deterioration. Museum curators are always worried about stopping the deterioration of their prized antiquities, like the ancient Egyptian mummies that should not be exposed to air.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

deterioration deteriorations

It’s unclear what led to the eagle’s deterioration, though there are some possibilities.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

"This could become the most significant smoke event in New York City since 2023, and conditions will be closely monitored for any deterioration," the city's Department of Emergency Management said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 16, 2026

Using a technique called riverfly monitoring, the sampling looks at levels of invertebrate life in the water, which means any pollution or deterioration in water quality can be quickly detected.

From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026

Soong believes the recent price weakness reflects the fading of geopolitical risk premiums rather than industry fundamentals’ deterioration.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

But a decade later, the rapidly growing prison population inevitably led to a deterioration in the conditions of confinement.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

She was asked about unexpected deteriorations among babies in the period she had worked in Chester, between April and September 2015.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2024

Along with the deteriorations caused by age, weak adherence to safety standards, poor maintenance and corruption among enforcement bodies are all considered contributors to such disasters.

From Seattle Times ● Oct. 20, 2021

Manufacturers reported longer lead times as trucking issues and capacity shortages led to what the survey said was one of the greatest deteriorations in vendor performance on record.

From Reuters ● Sep. 23, 2021

Since the China trade war began last year, moments of comity and cheer have more than once been shattered, giving way to jolting deteriorations in relations between the two sides.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 11, 2019

What strange abnormal deteriorations, physical and spiritual, must it not inevitably undergo?

From Robert Elsmere by Ward, Humphry, Mrs.

Related Words

• decline
• degradation
• depreciation
• devaluation
• disintegration
• dislocation
• downturn
• slump
• worsening