continued to degrade

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "continued to degrade" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a process where something is worsening or deteriorating over time. Example: "The condition of the old building continued to degrade despite efforts to maintain it."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

"The Government of Iraq intelligence services and security forces supported by U.S. intelligence and special operations forces have over the last several months continued to degrade A.Q.I.

The New York Times

In the end, a modest photograph enabled a brave soldier, faced with a society that continued to degrade and dismiss him because of his race, to mark his achievement for posterity.

The New York Times

In uninfected cells, the inhibition of NO synthesis prevented the replenishment of SNO, which continued to degrade and be degraded by cellular denitrosylation mechanisms.

FASEB Journal

During the subsequent 6 weeks of rest, medial cartilage continued to degrade; in the lateral compartment, an ongoing decline in cartilage thickness was not seen (Fig.  5c e).

Arthritis Research and Therapy

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

Worse, it would deprive us of the illusion that we can "save" particular places while continuing to degrade the biosphere as a whole.

The New York Times

"If not," he added, "the redevelopment of the inner cities will continue to degrade the very nature of that which they are trying to improve".

The New York Times

If colleges don't set specific and reasonable goals, the poisoned atmosphere will continue to degrade higher education, harming the interests of everyone.

The New York Times

Where they are still continuing to wage war on the people of Libya, we will continue to degrade their military capabilities.

Independent

Whenever we can operate through his capital, which is the core of the regime, we subdivide his capability to operate, we minimize or continue to degrade what command and control they have.

The New York Times

Most experts working on the American spacesuit project say they believe that much of their work is only a holding action, and that most of the suits will continue to degrade in coming decades and into the next century.

The New York Times - Science

The objective set forth by Mr Harper"to continue to degrade the capabilities" of IS--is sufficiently vague to leave room for future extensions.The opposition says he has not been frank about what the troops are actually doing.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "continued to degrade", ensure the subject is something that logically deteriorates over time, like infrastructure, health, or quality. Be specific about what is being degraded for clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "continued to degrade" with abstract concepts that don't typically deteriorate. For example, saying "the idea continued to degrade" is less effective than "the idea continued to be challenged" or "lost support".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "continued to degrade" functions as a verb phrase indicating an ongoing process of deterioration or decline. It typically modifies a noun, describing how something is progressively worsening. Ludwig AI confirms its usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "continued to degrade" is a verb phrase used to describe an ongoing process of deterioration. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. While grammatically sound, it's relatively rare. It appears mainly in scientific and news contexts, signaling a neutral to formal tone. When writing, consider synonyms like "kept deteriorating" or "steadily worsened" for varied expression. Ensure the subject is something that can logically deteriorate and avoid using it with highly abstract concepts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Kept deteriorating

This alternative uses a more straightforward verb to convey the continuous worsening, making it less formal.

Persisted in declining

This alternative emphasizes the ongoing nature of the decline, highlighting its stubborn continuation.

Steadily worsened

This alternative emphasizes a gradual increase of getting worse.

Progressively decayed

This alternative suggests a gradual process of rotting or breaking down.

Uninterrupted deterioration

This alternative is a more formal way of expressing continuous decline without interruption.

Remained in decline

This alternative focuses on the state of decline being maintained over time.

Went on declining

This alternative uses a phrasal verb to indicate the continuation of the decline.

Failed to improve

This alternative focuses on the absence of improvement rather than the active process of decline.

Slipped further

This alternative uses a metaphor of slipping to suggest a gradual and unwanted decline.

Exhibited ongoing decay

This alternative is a more formal and descriptive way of expressing continuous decay.

FAQs

How can I use "continued to degrade" in a sentence?

You can use "continued to degrade" to describe a process where something is worsening over time. For example: "The quality of the service continued to degrade after the merger."

What are some alternatives to "continued to degrade"?

Some alternatives include "kept deteriorating", "persisted in declining", or "steadily worsened" depending on the specific context.

Is it more correct to say "continued to degrade" or "continued to be degraded"?

"Continued to degrade" implies an ongoing process of deterioration, while "continued to be degraded" implies an external force causing the deterioration. The choice depends on the context.

What is the difference between "deteriorated" and "continued to degrade"?

"Deteriorated" indicates that something has worsened at some point, while "continued to degrade" emphasizes that the worsening is ongoing and uninterrupted. It shows an existing bad state that has been maintained.