deteriorate
dee-TEER-ee-uh-rayt
/dɪˈtɪəriəreɪt/
To become progressively worse in quality, value, or strength.
Implies a gradual process of worsening, often used for health, relationships, or physical structures.
The story behind the word. Coming from the Latin 'deterior' meaning 'worse,' this word literally means to 'make worse.' It entered English in the late 16th century to describe the physical decay of objects before expanding to abstract concepts like health and politics.
Word relationships
- decline: 'Decline' is more general; 'deteriorate' suggests a more serious loss of integrity.
- worsen: 'Worsen' is simpler and more common in casual speech.
- improve: A general move toward a better state.
- ameliorate: A formal term for making a bad situation better.
Commonly confused with
- disintegrate: Disintegrate means to break into pieces; deteriorate means to lose quality.
Word family
- deterioration (noun): The process of becoming worse.
Collocations
- rapidly deteriorate
- deteriorating health
- deteriorating situation
Example sentences
- "The patient's condition began to deteriorate rapidly after the surgery." Medical observation of a patient.
- "Relations between the two countries continued to deteriorate as trade talks failed." Describing international relations.
Memory hook
Think of a 'deteriorating' interior of a car—the seats are ripping and the dashboard is cracking. Deteriorate = Downward interior.
When not to use
Don't use it for a sudden, one-time break; use it for a steady decline.
Fun facts
- In the 1800s, it was often used specifically to describe the 'deterioration' of the currency's value.
Related words
Explore more words
degradation, degenerative, go south, deplete, Erode, devolve
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