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# deteriorate

verb (deteriorate, deteriorates, deteriorated, deteriorating)

«deteriorate» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. To deteriorate means to become worse, more and more, over time. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deteriorate/#m1)
2. (things) Buildings, food, roads or materials deteriorate when they wear out, rot or break down. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deteriorate/#m2)

### In the lessons

In everyday life it is used for weather, health, behaviour or things getting worse: «the weather deteriorated». In science it describes food going off, metal rusting or old paper falling apart. In stories it builds tension: «Her health deteriorated». Opposite: improve. Phrases: «deteriorate rapidly», «a deteriorating situation».

### Examples

- The weather deteriorated, so the match was called off. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deteriorate/#x1)
- Grandpa's eyesight has deteriorated with age. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deteriorate/#x2)
- Without a roof, the old castle deteriorated quickly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deteriorate/#x3)
- Fruit deteriorates fast in hot weather. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deteriorate/#x4)
- His behaviour deteriorated after lunch. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deteriorate/#x5)
- The road surface has deteriorated badly over the winter. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deteriorate/#x6)
- The patient's condition deteriorated overnight. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deteriorate/#x7)

### Note

Regular verb: deteriorated. Noun: deterioration. Pronounced «di-TEER-ee-uh-rate» (five syllables); a common mistake is to say or write «deteriate». It is a formal word for «get worse». It is intransitive: something deteriorates by itself; you do not «deteriorate something».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «deteriorate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/deteriorate/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«deteriorate» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/deteriorate.html) on Mova free.