# deteriorate

> English word · Verb · IPA /dɪˈtɪə.ɹɪə.ɹeɪt/ · frequency rank #23,804

## Definitions
1. To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair.
2. To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate.

## Etymology
Learned borrowing from Late Latin dēteriorātus, perfect passive participle of Late Latin dēteriorō (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), further from Latin dēterior (“worse”). Cognate with French détériorer.

## Common misspellings (15)
`ddeteriorate`, `deetriorate`, `deteirorate`, `deterioarte`, `deterioraet`, `deterioratte`, `deteriorrate`, `deteriortae`, `deteriroate`, `deteroirate`, `deterriorate`, `detreiorate`, `detteriorate`, `dteeriorate`, `edteriorate`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/deteriorate