deteriorate
verb (used with or without object)
to make or become worse or inferior in condition, character, quality, value, etc.
have been deteriorating
-
present perfect progressiveof deteriorate.present perfect progressive
Used to describe an action that began in the past, has continued continuously, and is still in progress.
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.
County’s juvenile halls have been deteriorating in plain sight.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 16, 2025
Rural response times tend to be longer due to larger distances to cover, however they have been deteriorating at a faster rate than those in urban areas, our analysis shows.
From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2023
And the Cold War institutions that managed such risk have been deteriorating in recent years.
From New York Times ● Nov. 16, 2022
Outbound shipments, after peaking for the year in July, have been deteriorating by value, despite a falling Chinese currency , official data show.
From Reuters ● Nov. 10, 2022
Church buildings have been deteriorating because of lack of maintenance, and many travelers have commented on the marked difference in appearance between the decaying Catholic churches and the well-maintained Orthodox churches.
From Area Handbook for Romania by Donald W. Bernier
