Word
deteriorate
Phoneticsde·te·ri·o·rate, stress on the second syllable
US/dɪˈtɪɹiɝˌeɪt/
UK/dɪtˈiəɹiəɹˌeɪt/
Definitions
01to become worse
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to get worse over time, especially regarding health, weather, or the condition of a building.
v. to decline in quality, character, or condition. Primarily used as an intransitive verb where the subject is the thing getting worse.
日本語:悪化する※
“The weather began to deteriorate quickly, with heavy rain and strong winds.”
“Despite the medical team's best efforts, the patient's condition continued to deteriorate throughout the night.”
Usage
Commonly used with abstract nouns like 'health', 'relations', or 'conditions'.
Synonyms
02to make something worse
C2 · Proficiency Formal
v. to cause something to become lower in quality or value.
v. to impair or make inferior in quality or value. This transitive use is less common in modern English than the intransitive sense.
“Years of neglect had deteriorated the value of the historic property.”
“The harsh chemical treatments eventually deteriorated the structural integrity of the ancient parchment.”
Usage
Takes a direct object; often replaced by 'damage' or 'degrade' in modern speech.
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “deteriorate” in context.
Verb
01. continue to deteriorate
“Despite the repairs, the structural integrity of the bridge continues to deteriorate.”
verb + infinitive
02. deteriorate into chaos
“The peaceful protest quickly deteriorated into chaos when the police arrived.”
verb + prep + noun
Noun
03. health deteriorated
“His health deteriorated rapidly during the winter months.”
noun + verb
04. situation deteriorated
“The security situation deteriorated so much that the embassy had to be evacuated.”
noun + verb
Adverb
05. deteriorate further
“If the weather deteriorates further, all flights will be grounded for the night.”
verb + adv
06. deteriorate significantly
“The quality of the service has deteriorated significantly since the new management took over.”
verb + adv
07. rapidly deteriorate
“The patient's condition began to rapidly deteriorate after the surgery.”
adv + verb
08. steadily deteriorate
“Relations between the two neighboring countries have steadily deteriorated over the last decade.”
adv + verb
Real-World Examples
“Elsewhere, the whole of Wales is in drought, with Natural Resources Wales saying sustained high temperatures were causing the condition of the natural environment to "deteriorate".” “Genetic changes may set off a chain reaction that causes the spine’s natural shock absorbers to harden and deteriorate.” Etymology
Learned borrowing from Late Latin dēteriorātus, perfect passive participle of Late Latin dēteriorō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), further from Latin dēterior (“worse”). Cognate with French détériorer.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/deteriorate
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0