Synonyms

deteriorating

American

[dih-teer-ee-uh-rey-ting] / dɪˈtɪər i əˌreɪ tɪŋ /

adjective

becoming worse or inferior in condition, character, quality, value, etc..

A deteriorating house, whatever the cause, will have an adverse effect on your real estate investment.
Officials have warned of a deteriorating security situation in the disputed territory.
disintegrating or wearing away.

If what you have underneath is fabric or fiberglass, I’d be concerned that deteriorating paint is letting ultraviolet rays do their worst to your aircraft.

Other Word Forms

undeteriorating adjective

Etymology

Origin of deteriorating

First recorded in 1680–90; deteriorate ( def. ) + -ing ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Nvidia is range-bound within the context of its secular uptrend, with deteriorating long-term momentum.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

Faced with a war-weary public and a deteriorating economy, the Kremlin is alarmed by foreign-based internet platforms—with good reason.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

The New York Times interviewed doctors there and reported last week that “rapidly deteriorating conditions at hospitals and clinics across Cuba were causing deaths that would otherwise be preventable.”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

The SocGen team recommended investors prepare for deteriorating market conditions by building protection in credit-default swaps.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

Marie-Laure LeBlanc is a tall and freckled six-year-old in Paris with rapidly deteriorating eyesight when her father sends her on a children’s tour of the museum where he works.

From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023