DETERIORATED Synonyms: 191 Similar and Opposite Words

deteriorated 1 of 2

adjective

as in deteriorating

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Dissimilar Words

deteriorated

2 of 2

verb

past tense of deteriorate

as in worsened

to become worse or of less value the garden slowly deteriorated after months of neglect

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in degraded

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of deteriorated

Adjective

Clark said the supports are needed because equipment used in the investigation is too heavy and difficult to maneuver safely on the deteriorated floor. — Sacbee.com, 14 July 2026 According to the officer, the decision to classify Sands' death as such was the result of the deteriorated condition of his body. — Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 27 June 2026 Crews will spend several days rebuilding and paving each section before moving on to the next, according to a press release, and the project will remove deteriorated pavement before the application of new asphalt. — Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 29 May 2026 But the challenges are equally steep, ranging from deteriorated infrastructure to legal uncertainty and lingering concerns over contract stability after past nationalizations. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 30 Apr. 2026 The trunk contained approximately 10 reels of deteriorated film — many rusted, warped, fragmented or fused together. — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 20 Apr. 2026 The rehab project at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption was sorely needed to repair deteriorated stone, metal and glass that adorns the limestone exterior. — Dylan Lovan, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2026 Crews will also remove the deteriorated deck concrete and install new slabs and joints. — Brian Sherrod, CBS News, 30 Mar. 2026 The Housatonic Railroad Company will receive $2,636,382 for replacing two grade crossing surfaces in New Milford, replacing deteriorated ties along its corridor. — Sean Krofssik, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026

Verb

But several of them moving in the same direction tell me that the quality of the rally has deteriorated. — Thomas Hartmann, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 As the stalemate between the city and Angels owner Arte Moreno grew more entrenched, the condition of Angel Stadium deteriorated. — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026 But her condition has deteriorated significantly in the months since she was first arrested in Miami-Dade County on May 5 and booked on a misdemeanor battery charge. — Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 30 Aug. 2026 The junta in Niger promised to stabilize the country but instead security has deteriorated. — ABC News, 30 Aug. 2026 His wife remained deeply unhappy, and their connection deteriorated. — David H. Rosmarin, Time, 29 Aug. 2026 Despite surgery, however, the bullet lodged inside his abdomen was not found, and his condition suddenly deteriorated. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026 Declining health In more recent years, Harald’s health had deteriorated. — James Frater, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 The news comes after several years of health issues and weeks of hospitalization as his condition deteriorated. — Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 28 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for deteriorated

Adjective

The Federal Bureau of Prisons closed the site in 2024 due to deteriorating conditions and understaffing.

— Chase Hunter, Mercury News, 9 June 2026

Definition of deteriorating

Verb

The affordability of long-term care has worsened for middle-class Americans, according to a March report from the AARP Public Policy Institute, a policy research arm within AARP, an advocacy group for older adults.

— Lorie Konish, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Conflict between the government and rebel groups in the eastern region, attacks on health workers and an intense population movement also have worsened the outbreak.

— ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of worsened

Verb

The invasion has raised European willingness to spend more on defense, and the fighting has badly degraded Russia’s armed forces.

— JENNIFER KAVANAGH, Foreign Affairs, 28 Aug. 2026
Russia’s subsequent full-scale invasion has largely degraded into a battlefield stalemate, with Moscow’s and Kyiv’s forces vying for the upper hand, though the two sides have recently intensified their aerial attacks on one another.

— Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of degraded

Adjective

Liberal critics, however, argued—also rightly—that the Soviet Union was a decaying, economically crippled giant by the time Reagan was inaugurated.

— Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 14 Aug. 2026
The district also could be in for other major changes in the coming years, including the opening of a few new schools to replace multiple decaying, underenrolled schools.

— Scott Travis, Miami Herald, 15 May 2026

Definition of decaying

Verb

Wednesday’s ugly loss, in which Yoshinobu Yamamoto faltered after a strong start and the Dodgers crumbled late despite taking a 3-0 first-inning lead, was the latest example.

— Joaquin Ruiz, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
More than 3,000 people are still missing across both countries, as complex search efforts continue in remote areas where roads and other infrastructure has crumbled.

— Bhadra Sharma, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of crumbled

Verb

Today, the yen has weakened 57% from a low of about 103 in January 2021 to a high of 163 in July, before a rare joint intervention from both Washington and Tokyo strengthened the currency to its current levels of about 160.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
Sprout Social's 2026 Influencer Marketing Report found that recommendation feeds have weakened the link between follower count and reach.

— Zoe Huang, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of weakened

Adjective

Each state has its own system, and many are rickety or verging on obsolescence.

— Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
For years, many of Myanmar’s Rohingya Muslim minority have embarked on rickety wooden boats to try to reach neighbouring countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, ‌in ⁠a bid to flee persecution in Myanmar or overcrowded refugee camps in Bangladesh.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2026

Definition of rickety

Verb

Trump has declined so far to endorse a successor, opting to keep his cards close ahead of what’s likely to be a bitter race.

— Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 29 Aug. 2026
When asked about the lack of any tributes or the evening’s plans to honor Nolan, the Ocean Springs School District declined to comment.

— Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of declined

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“Deteriorated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deteriorated. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of deteriorated

adjective

verb

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