deteriorate
Translation
to deteriorate, to worsen, to decline
Examples
His health began to deteriorate rapidly.
His health began to deteriorate rapidly.
The weather is expected to deteriorate later.
The weather is expected to deteriorate later.
Grammar Patterns
((sth.)) deteriorates (something) gets worse His health began to deteriorate.
Similar Words
Synonyms: worsen, decline, degenerate; Antonyms: improve, get better
Etymology
From Latin 'deterior' meaning 'worse'. The '-ate' suffix turns it into a verb.
Memory Tips
Think of the 'de-' prefix as meaning 'down'. The situation is going down, or getting worse.