DETERIORATION

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does deterioration mean? 

• DETERIORATION (noun)
  The noun DETERIORATION has 2 senses:

1. a symptom of reduced quality or strength

2. process of changing to an inferior state

  Familiarity information: DETERIORATION used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DETERIORATION (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A symptom of reduced quality or strength

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

deterioration; impairment

Hypernyms ("deterioration" is a kind of...):

decay (an inferior state resulting from the process of decaying)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "deterioration"):

corrosion (a state of deterioration in metals caused by oxidation or chemical action)

desolation; devastation (the state of being decayed or destroyed)

decrepitude; dilapidation (a state of deterioration due to old age or long use)

wear (impairment resulting from long use)

Derivation:

deteriorate (grow worse)

deteriorate (become worse or disintegrate)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Process of changing to an inferior state

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural processes

Synonyms:

declension; decline in quality; deterioration; worsening

Hypernyms ("deterioration" is a kind of...):

decline; diminution (change toward something smaller or lower)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "deterioration"):

drop-off; falling off; falloff; slack; slump (a noticeable deterioration in performance or quality)

Derivation:

deteriorate (grow worse)

deteriorate (become worse or disintegrate)

 Context examples 

A toxicity of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation that manifests as fever, rash and pulmonary deterioration which becomes evident at marrow engraftment.

(Engraftment Syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)

Patients develop deterioration of their mental and motor functions and die soon after the first symptoms appear, because of the total absence of sleep.

(Fatal Familial Insomnia, NCI Thesaurus)

Device problems due to the premature or expected erosion of its material by use, deterioration, or change.

(Device Wear Problem Evaluation Result, Food and Drug Administration)

Signs and symptoms include progressive motor disturbances, muscle spasm and rigidity, dysarthria, mental deterioration, and behavioral changes.

(Pantothenate Kinase-Associated Neurodegeneration, NCI Thesaurus)

Showing obvious signs of deterioration or decline.

(Definitely Worse, NCI Thesaurus)

No sooner can a slave society be organized than deterioration sets in.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

It is manifested with personality changes and deterioration of the language skills.

(Frontotemporal Dementia, NCI Thesaurus)

Signs and symptoms include developmental delay, psychomotor deterioration, and growth failure.

(I-Cell Disease, NCI Thesaurus)

A disorder characterized by a deterioration in memory function.

(Memory Impairment, NCI Thesaurus/CTCAE)

In the juvenile form symptoms include gait disturbances, mental deterioration and seizures.

(Metachromatic Leukodystrophy, NCI Thesaurus)