DETERIORATE

devolve, deteriorate, drop, degenerate

(verb) grow worse; “Her condition deteriorated”; “Conditions in the slums degenerated”; “The discussion devolved into a shouting match”

deteriorate

(verb) become worse or disintegrate; “His mind deteriorated”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Verb

deteriorate (third-person singular simple present deteriorates, present participle deteriorating, simple past and past participle deteriorated)

(transitive) To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair.

(intransitive) To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate.

Synonyms

• worsen

• to go off (of foods)

• nerf (gaming term)

• degenerate

• weaken

Antonyms

• ameliorate

• better

• improve

• revamp

Source: Wiktionary

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De*te"ri*o*rate, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Deteriorated; p. pr. & vb. n. Deteriorating.] Etym: [L. deterioratus, p. p. of deteriorate to deteriorate, fr. deterior worse, prob. a comparative fr. de down, away.]

Definition: To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair; as, to deteriorate the mind. Whately. The art of war . . . was greatly deteriorated. Southey.

De*te"ri*o*rate, v. i.

Definition: To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate. Under such conditions, the mind rapidly deteriorates. Goldsmith.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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