deteriorate
Valid in Scrabble
- Scrabble points
- 12
- Words With Friends
- 12
- Letters
- 11
See all 6 pronunciations Show less
Definition of deteriorate
2 senses · 1 part of speech · etymology included
verb
-
(transitive)To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair.
“to deteriorate the mind”
“The art of war, like every other art, ecclesiastical architecture alone excepted, was greatly deteriorated during those years of general degradation[…]”
See all 2 definitions Show less
verb
-
(transitive)To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair.
“to deteriorate the mind”
“The art of war, like every other art, ecclesiastical architecture alone excepted, was greatly deteriorated during those years of general degradation[…]”
-
(intransitive)To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate.
“During this fine run through Fife the weather had deteriorated rapidly, and as we passed Wormit and came onto the Tay Bridge heavy rain clouds were piled over the sea.”
“The condition of the tunnel continued to deteriorate, aggravated by the vibration from the heavy traffic, and stories of trains emerging with dislodged bricks on their roofs are probably not exaggerated.”
“It was turning into an abysmal afternoon for Newcastle and it deteriorated further when Tiote saw red for his challenge on Jon Ashton.”
Definitions from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.
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.
Words you can make from deteriorate
200+ playable · top: REITERATED (11 pts)
Best play reiterated 11 points9-letter words
2 words8-letter words
6 words7-letter words
23 words- ATTIRED 8 pts
- DOTTIER 8 pts
- READIER 8 pts
- REEDIER 8 pts
- RETIRED 8 pts
- RETREAD 8 pts
- RETRIED 8 pts
- ROTATED 8 pts
- TARDIER 8 pts
- TARRIED 8 pts
- TETRODE 8 pts
- TIREDER 8 pts
- TREADER 8 pts
- TREATED 8 pts
- ARIETTE 7 pts
- ITERATE 7 pts
- RATTIER 7 pts
- RETIREE 7 pts
- RETREAT 7 pts
- TARTIER 7 pts
- TEARIER 7 pts
- TRAITOR 7 pts
- TREATER 7 pts
6-letter words
72 words- ADORER 7 pts
- ADROIT 7 pts
- AERIED 7 pts
- AIRTED 7 pts
- ARIDER 7 pts
- DARTER 7 pts
- DEARER 7 pts
- DEARIE 7 pts
- DERATE 7 pts
- DIETER 7 pts
- DOTIER 7 pts
- DOTTER 7 pts
- EDITOR 7 pts
- IDEATE 7 pts
- IODATE 7 pts
- ORATED 7 pts
- OREIDE 7 pts
- RAIDER 7 pts
- RATTED 7 pts
- READER 7 pts
- REARED 7 pts
- REDATE 7 pts
- REDEAR 7 pts
- REDIAE 7 pts
- REEDIT 7 pts
- REREAD 7 pts
- RETARD 7 pts
- RETIED 7 pts
- RETROD 7 pts
- RETTED 7 pts
- RIOTED 7 pts
- RITARD 7 pts
- ROADIE 7 pts
- ROARED 7 pts
- ROTTED 7 pts
- TARRED 7 pts
- TARTED 7 pts
- TEARED 7 pts
- TEATED 7 pts
- TEREDO 7 pts
- TETRAD 7 pts
- TIERED 7 pts
- TIRADE 7 pts
- TOITED 7 pts
- TORRID 7 pts
- TRADER 7 pts
- TRIODE 7 pts
- AERIER 6 pts
- ARTIER 6 pts
- ATTIRE 6 pts
- EERIER 6 pts
- ETRIER 6 pts
- IRATER 6 pts
- OATIER 6 pts
- RATITE 6 pts
- RATTER 6 pts
- RETEAR 6 pts
- RETIRE 6 pts
- RETORE 6 pts
- RETORT 6 pts
- RIOTER 6 pts
- RITTER 6 pts
- ROTATE 6 pts
- ROTTER 6 pts
- TARTER 6 pts
- TEARER 6 pts
- TEETER 6 pts
- TERETE 6 pts
- TERRAE 6 pts
- TERRET 6 pts
- TERRIT 6 pts
- TRITER 6 pts
5-letter words
73 words- ADORE 6 pts
- AIDER 6 pts
- AIRED 6 pts
- ARDOR 6 pts
- AROID 6 pts
- ATTED 6 pts
- DARER 6 pts
- DATER 6 pts
- DATTO 6 pts
- DEAIR 6 pts
- DERAT 6 pts
- DETER 6 pts
- DIRER 6 pts
- DITTO 6 pts
- DOTER 6 pts
- DREAR 6 pts
- DRIER 6 pts
- DROIT 6 pts
- EARED 6 pts
- EIDER 6 pts
- ERODE 6 pts
- ERRED 6 pts
- IRADE 6 pts
- OARED 6 pts
- ORDER 6 pts
- OREAD 6 pts
- RADIO 6 pts
- RARED 6 pts
- RATED 6 pts
- REDIA 6 pts
- RIDER 6 pts
- TARDO 6 pts
- TARED 6 pts
- TIRED 6 pts
- TOTED 6 pts
- TRADE 6 pts
- TREAD 6 pts
- TREED 6 pts
- TRIAD 6 pts
- TRIED 6 pts
- TRODE 6 pts
- AERIE 5 pts
- AIRER 5 pts
- ARETE 5 pts
- EATER 5 pts
- EERIE 5 pts
- IRATE 5 pts
- OATER 5 pts
- ORATE 5 pts
- OTTAR 5 pts
- OTTER 5 pts
- RATER 5 pts
- RATIO 5 pts
- RETIA 5 pts
- RETIE 5 pts
- RETRO 5 pts
- ROTTE 5 pts
- TAROT 5 pts
- TARRE 5 pts
- TATER 5 pts
- TERAI 5 pts
- TERRA 5 pts
- TETRA 5 pts
- TETRI 5 pts
- TITER 5 pts
- TITRE 5 pts
- TORTA 5 pts
- TORTE 5 pts
- TOTER 5 pts
- TRAIT 5 pts
- TREAT 5 pts
- TRIER 5 pts
- TRITE 5 pts
4-letter words
23 wordsHooks
2 extensions · 2 back
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