deterioration

noun

de·​te·​ri·​o·​ra·​tion di-ˌtir-ē-ə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce deterioration (audio)
dē-
: the action or process of becoming impaired or inferior in quality, functioning, or condition : the state of having deteriorated
rust deterioration
the deterioration of academic standards
Choose the Right Synonym for deterioration

deterioration, degeneration, decadence, decline mean the falling from a higher to a lower level in quality, character, or vitality.

deterioration implies generally the impairment of value or usefulness.

the deterioration of the house through neglect

degeneration stresses physical, intellectual, or especially moral retrogression.

the degeneration of their youthful idealism into cynicism

decadence presupposes a reaching and passing the peak of development and implies a turn downward with a consequent loss in vitality or energy.

cited love of luxury as a sign of cultural decadence

decline differs from decadence in suggesting a more markedly downward direction and greater momentum as well as more obvious evidence of deterioration.

the meteoric decline of his career after the scandal

Examples of deterioration in a Sentence

the gradual deterioration of the weather a deterioration of academic standards
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Submersible visits over the years have shown an increase in its deterioration, with rust and microorganisms eating away at the ship's metal. Dives over more than a decade have shown the ship is falling apart. George Petras, USA Today, 11 Apr. 2025 That could mean that rate cuts are pushed off until much later this year or even delayed until next year if that deterioration takes time to materialize. Colby Smith, New York Times, 7 Apr. 2025 The deterioration of this series has been rapid since the expectations series was 93.7 in November. Jason Schenker, Forbes.com, 2 Apr. 2025 Although Melius cited Alphabet data showing there hasn’t been a deterioration in annual search queries, the main issue is that younger people are starting to prefer using AI-first search models over Google. Jeff Marks, CNBC, 31 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deterioration

Word History

Etymology

see deteriorate

First Known Use

circa 1658, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of deterioration was circa 1658

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Deterioration.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/deterioration. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

Medical Definition

deterioration

noun
de·​te·​ri·​o·​ra·​tion di-ˌtir-ē-ə-ˈrā-shən How to pronounce deterioration (audio)
: the action or process of deteriorating : the state of having deteriorated
personality deterioration
neurological deterioration

More from Merriam-Webster on deterioration

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