1
as in worsens
to become worse or of less value
the garden slowly deteriorated after months of neglect
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in degrades
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
childish name-calling that merely deteriorates what should be a serious discussion on an important issue
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deteriorates
And as our credit deteriorates, borrowing gets more expensive, forcing us to borrow more to keep up, which worsens our credit further.
—
Bill Conway, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
When hospitals operate under extreme and unpredictable demand spikes, patient safety deteriorates.
—Eugene Litvak, STAT, 27 Mar. 2026
Haldea cautioned that the secondary market could struggle to absorb a large wave of redemptions if investor sentiment deteriorates sharply.
—Hugh Leask, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026
The turtle slows, more organisms attach, and the animal’s condition deteriorates.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Mar. 2026
The movie, out now, follows Irene (Liu), her son Joe (Lawrence Shou), whose relationship deteriorates in the wake of his schizophrenia diagnosis.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
And if the economy deteriorates and the labor market materially weakens at the same time?
—Allie Canal, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
As her vision deteriorates, Penny turns to psychoanalysis not in hopes of reversing her condition, but to confront years of denial and silence.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
Europe is tightening the net on Russian oil being shipped through its waters, squeezing Moscow’s ability to fund its war even as officials and business executives in Russia fear the window is narrowing to reach a peace deal before the economy deteriorates.
—Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Bill Conway, Chicago Tribune, 30 Mar. 2026
When hospitals operate under extreme and unpredictable demand spikes, patient safety deteriorates.
—Eugene Litvak, STAT, 27 Mar. 2026
Haldea cautioned that the secondary market could struggle to absorb a large wave of redemptions if investor sentiment deteriorates sharply.
—Hugh Leask, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026
The turtle slows, more organisms attach, and the animal’s condition deteriorates.
—Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Mar. 2026
The movie, out now, follows Irene (Liu), her son Joe (Lawrence Shou), whose relationship deteriorates in the wake of his schizophrenia diagnosis.
—Hannah Malach, InStyle, 11 Mar. 2026
And if the economy deteriorates and the labor market materially weakens at the same time?
—Allie Canal, NBC news, 7 Mar. 2026
As her vision deteriorates, Penny turns to psychoanalysis not in hopes of reversing her condition, but to confront years of denial and silence.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 19 Feb. 2026
Europe is tightening the net on Russian oil being shipped through its waters, squeezing Moscow’s ability to fund its war even as officials and business executives in Russia fear the window is narrowing to reach a peace deal before the economy deteriorates.
—Catherine Belton, Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorates
Verb
-
And as our credit deteriorates, borrowing gets more expensive, forcing us to borrow more to keep up, which worsens our credit further.—
Bill Conway,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Distress could spread to countries beyond the Gulf if dire conditions prompt residents to flee across borders and infrastructure damage worsens a global oil shock, analysts said.—
Max Zahn,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Most retinol products are restricted to nighttime use because the ingredient degrades in sunlight, so this flexibility is a genuine differentiator.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Phase 1 degrades military power and holds hostage the regime’s economic lifelines.—
Richard Goldberg,
The Atlantic,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Like the impish anti-romance that crumbles around it, the movie’s twist is both transgressive enough to be pleased with itself and also rooted in a reality that refuses to be dismissed as a bad joke.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Loyalty, betrayal, illness and war all bear down on the group as the old order crumbles around them.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
25 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In the state’s view, that weakens or muddies the legal boundary between the two types of gambling venues.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Justice delayed weakens deterrence.—
Romy Ellenbogen,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Holy Week begins with a triumphal procession, descends into betrayal and death, and ends with resurrection.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Ribbon Fall, which descends 1,612 feet and marks Yosemite’s single largest drop, is a slender plunge and could be gone by June, Goehring says.—
Kurtis Alexander,
San Francisco Chronicle,
4 Apr. 2026
Verb
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His relationship with his Jewish neighbors, the Brodskys, grows closer as Nazi power corrupts France.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Feb. 2026
-
As Jay Jonah Atterbury, one of a handful of new characters on the fourth season of Industry, Kal Penn weaponizes and corrupts the stoner quirks viewers may recognize from his years playing Kumar Patel in the Harold & Kumar films.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Jeannot is not wired to jump anybody who declines an invitation.—
Fluto Shinzawa,
New York Times,
30 Mar. 2026
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Six out of the 10 top richest people in the world have experienced wealth declines between $30 and $60 billion this calendar year, totalling over $255 billion.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Later that season, Eric humiliates Bill in front of their Pierpoint colleagues by insulting his work quality and Bill dies from brain cancer.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
6 Mar. 2026
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Thecla humiliates him by ripping his robe and tearing the wreath off his head.—
Christy Cobb,
The Conversation,
16 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Deteriorates.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorates. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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