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deteriorate

verb
Saydi-TEER-ee-uh-raytUS/dɪˈtɪɹ.iə.ɹeɪt/UK/dɪˈtɪə.ɹɪə.ɹeɪt/

Formsdeteriorates, deteriorating, deteriorated

2 meanings of deteriorate

Practice

  1. 1
    verbintransitive
    To grow worse; to become impaired in quality or condition, or to degenerate.

    Relations between the two countries continued to deteriorate after the border dispute.

    The bridge's structural integrity had deteriorated to a dangerous degree.

    Similarworsen, decline, degenerate, decay, sour

    Oppositeimprove, recover, rally, strengthen

  2. 2
    verbtransitive
    To make worse; to lower the quality or value of something; to impair it.

    Repeated washing can deteriorate the fabric's strength.

    Constant exposure to moisture had deteriorated the manuscript's pages.

    Similarimpair, degrade, damage, weaken, worsen

    Oppositeimprove, enhance, strengthen, restore

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Origin

A learned borrowing from Late Latin "dēteriorātus", from the verb "dēteriorō", which comes from Latin "dēterior" meaning "worse". It is related to French "détériorer".