deteriorate

[dih-teer-ee-uh-reyt] / dɪˈtɪər i əˌreɪt /

VERB

decay, degenerate

Synonyms

STRONGEST

crumble decline degrade depreciate disintegrate ebb fade fail fall apart languish lessen lower regress sink slide undermine weaken worsen

STRONG

adulterate alloy break corrode corrupt debase debilitate decompose deprave descend flag impair injure lapse mar pervert retrograde retrogress rot skid spoil vitiate

WEAK

be worse for wear become worse disimprove go downhill go to pieces go to pot go to the dogs hit the skids lose it lose quality wear away

Antonyms

STRONGEST

approve compliment elevate grow improve increase laud praise raise rise strengthen

STRONG

aid assist build clean cleanse clear cure fix heal help join mend purify put together

WEAK

construct develop get better

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.

When oxygen levels fall, river health can deteriorate, putting fish and other freshwater species at risk.

From Science Daily • May 17, 2026

“Each company faces challenges and additional risk factors, which will take time to work through—and individual names could deteriorate further,” Pietrzak said.

From Barron's • May 11, 2026

"We lived near the Wye for 20 years, and saw it deteriorate, but we didn't imagine that river pollution would affect us so much."

From BBC • Apr. 26, 2026

Arab mediators working to restart talks between the two sides said they feared the situation would deteriorate.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 23, 2026

“Unfortunately,” says Hunt, Ngawang “did not continue to improve. By late morning he started to deteriorate again.”

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer

Vocabulary lists containing deteriorate

List 3

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

30 GRE Words Beginning with "D"

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Fidel Castro (1926-2016) Memorial List

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!