DETERIORATE
Dictionary entry overview: What does deteriorate mean?
• DETERIORATE (verb)
The verb DETERIORATE has 2 senses:
1. become worse or disintegrate
2. grow worse
Familiarity information: DETERIORATE used as a verb is rare.
Dictionary entry details
• DETERIORATE (verb)
Meaning:
Become worse or disintegrate
Classified under:
Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.
Context example:
His mind deteriorated
Hypernyms (to "deteriorate" is one way to...):
crumble; decay; delapidate (fall into decay or ruin)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "deteriorate"):
go to pot; go to the dogs (become ruined)
wear; wear down; wear off; wear out; wear thin (deteriorate through use or stress)
Sentence frame:
Something ----s
Meaning:
Grow worse
Classified under:
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care
Synonyms:
degenerate; deteriorate; devolve; drop
Context examples:
Her condition deteriorated / Conditions in the slums degenerated / The discussion devolved into a shouting match
Hypernyms (to "deteriorate" is one way to...):
decline; worsen (grow worse)
Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "deteriorate"):
fatigue; jade; pall; tire; weary (get tired of something or somebody)
fade; languish (become feeble)
rot; waste (waste away)
Sentence frames:
Something ----s
Somebody ----s
Antonym:
recuperate (get over an illness or shock)
