Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
deteriorate (verb)transitive verb
1.
to make inferior in quality or value - impair
2.
intransitive verb
- disintegrate to become impaired in quality, functioning, or condition - degenerate allowed a tradition of academic excellence to deteriorate his health deteriorated
Merriam-Webster Online Thesaurus
deteriorate (verb)1.
to become worse or of less value
SYNONIMS:
atrophy, crumble, decay, decline, degenerate, descend, devolve, ebb, regress, retrograde, rot, sink, worsenRELATED WORDS:
abate, de-escalate, diminish, downsize, dwindle, recede, wane; break down, corrupt, decompose, degrade, dilapidate, disintegrate, molder, putrefy; sour, spoil; lessen, lower, reduce; debilitate, undermine; droop, fail, fall, flag, lag, languish, run down, sag, slip, waste (away), weaken, wiltNEAR ANTONYMS:
better, upgrade; enhance, enrich, fortify, heighten, intensify, strengthen; advance, develop, march, proceed, progress2.
to lower in character, dignity, or quality
SYNONIMS:
abase, bastardize, canker, cheapen, corrupt, debauch, degrade, demean, demoralize, deprave, deteriorate, lessen, pervert, poison, profane, prostitute, subvert, vitiate, warpRELATED WORDS:
befoul, begrime, contaminate, defile, dilute, dirty, pollute, taint, thin, water down, weaken; descend; disgrace, dishonor, humble, humiliate, shame, take down; blemish, damage, deface, destroy, flaw, harm, hurt, impair, mar, ruin, spoil, stain, tarnish, wreck; depreciate, downgradeNEAR ANTONYMS:
dignify, exalt, honor; ameliorate, amend, better, enhance, enrich, improve, meliorate, perfect; clarify, clean, cleanse, purify, refine, restore; respect