deteriorate

deteriorate — verb

1. to gradually move from a good or acceptable state to a poorer or weaker one over

1.動詞不及物B2
釋義

to gradually move from a good or acceptable state to a poorer or weaker one over time — for example, when a building falls apart, a relationship gets worse, or someone's health declines.

例句

Amira watched her father's health deteriorate as the illness grew stronger each month.

The old wooden bridge had deteriorated so much that the council closed it.

passive: had deteriorated so much that — result clause

同義詞
  • worsen

    more direct and common; can be used both transitively and intransitively

  • decline

    suggests a gradual downward movement over time, often used for health, quality, or numbers

  • degenerate

    implies decline to a lower moral, physical, or quality state; stronger negative connotation

  • decay

    suggests natural, gradual breakdown, especially of physical objects or organic matter

反義詞
  • improve

    the most direct antonym; to move to a better state

  • strengthen

    used when something becomes stronger rather than weaker

  • recover

    specifically for returning to a previous good state after decline, especially health

文法句型

deteriorate + adverb (gradually, rapidly)

deteriorate into + noun phrase

deteriorate from + noun + to + noun

用法筆記

Commonly used as an intransitive verb. The transitive use ('The recession deteriorated the economy') is considered non-standard by most usage guides; use 'worsen' or 'damage' instead for transitive contexts.

常見錯誤

❌The storm deteriorated the roof.
✅The storm damaged the roof.
💡'deteriorate' is rarely transitive; the roof deteriorated because of the storm, not 'the storm deteriorated the roof.'
❌His condition deteriorated worse.
✅His condition deteriorated.' or 'His condition grew worse.
💡'deteriorate' already means 'become worse,' so adding 'worse' is redundant.