deteriorating
Americanadjective
-
becoming worse or inferior in condition, character, quality, value, etc..
A deteriorating house, whatever the cause, will have an adverse effect on your real estate investment.
Officials have warned of a deteriorating security situation in the disputed territory.
-
disintegrating or wearing away.
If what you have underneath is fabric or fiberglass, I’d be concerned that deteriorating paint is letting ultraviolet rays do their worst to your aircraft.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of deteriorating
First recorded in 1680–90; deteriorate ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. )
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.
In the mid-1990s, after a period of dwindling ratings and deteriorating cultural relevance, the WWF embarked on a radical brand pivot.
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2026
The 2023 storm exposed years of neglect, particularly the deteriorating dams built in the 1970s.
From Barron's • Jun. 6, 2026
But it’s all we have now in an otherwise deteriorating situation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
Raman said Bass had failed to act with urgency on the production of new apartments, repairs to deteriorating infrastructure and the exodus of entertainment industry jobs.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 4, 2026
He regretted that his deteriorating health prevented him from attending the ceremonies in person and joining “the small band, the remnant of that host of worthies who joined with us on that day.”
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
