verb (used with or without object),de·te·ri·o·rat·ed,de·te·ri·o·rat·ing.
to make or become worse or inferior in character, quality, value, etc.
to disintegrate or wear away.
Origin of deteriorate
1565–75; <Late Latin dēteriōrātus made worse (past participle of dēteriōrāre), equivalent to Latin dēterior worse (dē from + -ter- formative in adjectives of spatial orientation (cf. exterior, interior) + -ior comparative suffix) + -ātus-ate1
Try as they might to cross-pollinate through research and investments, the climate between China and the United States continues to deteriorate into political one-upmanship, leaving users to pay the steepest costs.
It’s getting harder for tech companies to bridge the US-China divide|Amy Nordrum|September 21, 2020|MIT Technology Review
One year as a teacher — you’re not going to deteriorate as a teacher and not be able to get paid going forward.
Why Can’t Schools Get What the N.F.L. Has? (Ep. 431)|Stephen J. Dubner|September 10, 2020|Freakonomics
Instead of coming clean about their deteriorating financial position, district officials covered it up.
Embattled Sweetwater Superintendent Fired|Will Huntsberry|September 1, 2020|Voice of San Diego
The Tuesday talks marked a rare moment of cooperation between the two powers, whose deteriorating relations over the pandemic, Hong Kong, and human rights, at times, have appeared to put the trade pact at risk.
The U.S.-China trade deal is moving ahead—in spite of everything|Grady McGregor|August 25, 2020|Fortune
Dostum remains a power broker today, although his health has deteriorated from the effects of a hard life and heavy drinking.
The Warlord Who Defines Afghanistan: An Excerpt From Bruce Riedel’s ’What We Won’|Bruce Riedel|July 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
How could things in Ukraine have deteriorated to the point where Putin was now engaged in such a reckless act of aggression?
Why Putin Let MH17 Get Shot Down|James Miller|July 18, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Her mother has mental-health problems, and physical-health problems, which deteriorated after a hit-and-run accident.
Will Jordan Davis Become the First Transgender Miss England?|Tim Teeman|February 28, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Security has deteriorated and we have to find ways to establish law and order.
Libyan Government Turns to Ansar Al-Sharia Militia for Crime-Fighting Help|Jamie Dettmer|February 26, 2013|DAILY BEAST
After all that … of course he deteriorated into bad candidate!
Stuart Stevens, Half Right|David Frum|February 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
When the powers are not used along the line of their strength they become demoralized, weakened, deteriorated.
How to Succeed|Orison Swett Marden
The color is grave and beautifully harmonized, although the paper has deteriorated and the colors have darkened somewhat.
John Baptist Jackson|Jacob Kainen
Or perhaps we had only imagined until now that the old breed had deteriorated!
English Pictures|Samuel Manning
Her love for Imlay had not passed into the second stage, but his had deteriorated into indifference very quickly.
Mary Wollstonecraft|Elizabeth Robins Pennell
I think the Hards must have deteriorated considerably since the battle of Lexington.
Across the Mesa|Jarvis Hall
British Dictionary definitions for deteriorate
deteriorate
/ (dɪˈtɪərɪəˌreɪt) /
verb
to make or become worse or lower in quality, value, character, etc; depreciate
(intr)to wear away or disintegrate
Derived forms of deteriorate
deterioration, noundeteriorative, adjective
Word Origin for deteriorate
C16: from Late Latin dēteriōrāre, from Latin dēterior worse