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Synonym Chooser

How does the noun deterioration differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of deterioration are decadence, decline, and degeneration. While all these words mean "the falling from a higher to a lower level in quality, character, or vitality," deterioration implies generally the impairment of value or usefulness.

the deterioration of the house through neglect

When can decadence be used instead of deterioration?

In some situations, the words decadence and deterioration are roughly equivalent. However, decadence presupposes a reaching and passing the peak of development and implies a turn downward with a consequent loss in vitality or energy.

cited love of luxury as a sign of cultural decadence

How do decline and decadence relate to one another, in the sense of deterioration?

Decline differs from decadence in suggesting a more markedly downward direction and greater momentum as well as more obvious evidence of deterioration.

the meteoric decline of his career after the scandal

When could degeneration be used to replace deterioration?

The words degeneration and deterioration are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, degeneration stresses physical, intellectual, or especially moral retrogression.

the degeneration of their youthful idealism into cynicism

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of deterioration This continuous real-time oversight allows for faster medical responses, improving early detection of clinical deterioration and reducing the likelihood of life-threatening events. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025 The results are rising food prices, unsafe food, and the deterioration of our environment. Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025 The deterioration of market breadth indicators going back to the fourth quarter of 2024 has provided a fantastic confirmation of the bearish conditions affecting the major equity averages. David Keller, CNBC, 13 Mar. 2025 Retail spending, which is the lifeblood of the economy, is waning, while measures of consumer confidence show a sharp deterioration of late. Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 12 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for deterioration
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deterioration
Noun
  • This is, in part, about the degradation, devaluation, and replacement of writers.
    Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Soil degradation, water scarcity, and climate volatility have become immediate operational threats.
    Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • One hundred and thirteen years later, much of the great vessel — and what’s left of its splendors — remains in the same spot it was found four decades ago in 1985, though decay and human interference have changed its form over time.
    Nicole Briese, People.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Water fluoridation has been proven to be so effective at preventing tooth decay that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) named it one of the 10 greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, a time during which Americans' life expectancies rose by 30 years.
    Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 13 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • This is a result of a profit-first capitalist system in crisis in the epoch of imperialism’s decline.
    Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Gold’s warning What’s more, the spike in gold prices this year has continued to signal a risk-off mentality among investors, as gold tends to rally during periods of decline in stocks.
    Pia Singh, CNBC, 19 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • The changing declination also defines the daily arc that the sun takes across the sky, thereby accounting for the length of daylight.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 6 Feb. 2025
  • The sun's changing declination is what determines whether the sun's rays strike us at a low angle or more directly.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 6 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Deterioration.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deterioration. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on deterioration

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