deteriorate quickly

USAGE SUMMARY

"deteriorate quickly" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe something that is declining in quality or condition at a fast pace. For example: "The old building began to deteriorate quickly after the storm." Alternative expressions include "decline rapidly" and "worsen swiftly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Formal & Business

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Cold viruses, however, deteriorate quickly.

The New York Times - Health

Long-standing horses' lungs deteriorate quickly.

The New York Times

"But then it'll deteriorate quickly after that.

The New York Times

Formerly, Diet Pepsi used only aspartame, which can deteriorate quickly, especially under heat.

The New York Times

If major league ownership aborts that, the Expos will deteriorate quickly and irretrievably.

The New York Times - Sports

Goods that are likely to deteriorate quickly, such as flowers, cannot be returned, either.

The Guardian - Money

Plant remains deteriorate quickly in the archaeological record, which can make direct evidence of their use somewhat scarce.

Encyclopedia Britannica

These rough hewn barriers, however, deteriorate quickly and are relatively easy for predators to penetrate during their nocturnal hunts.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

Things deteriorated quickly in December.

The New York Times - Sports

At the end, he deteriorated quickly.

The New York Times

By early September 2008, Lehman's situation was deteriorating quickly.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In medical writing, this phrase is particularly effective for describing patients whose stability is precarious.

Common error

Avoid pairing "deteriorate quickly" with other adverbs that imply speed, such as 'suddenly' or 'instantly', unless you are describing two distinct phases of a process. For example, 'The situation suddenly began to deteriorate quickly' is acceptable, but 'It instantly deteriorated quickly' is redundant.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "deteriorate quickly" functions as a verb modified by an adverb of manner. According to Ludwig, this construction is used to specify the rate of negative change. The verb 'deteriorate' denotes a progressive worsening while 'quickly' provides the temporal intensity. In scientific literature found in Ludwig, it is often used as a predicate to describe physiological or chemical reactions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

38%

Wiki

12%

Less common in

Formal & Business

4%

Encyclopedias

3%

General Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "deteriorate quickly" is a robust and grammatically correct phrase that is widely accepted in all levels of English writing. Ludwig AI shows that it appears most frequently in scientific and journalistic contexts, often describing the fragility of health, materials or geopolitical stability. With over 50 high-quality examples from sources like The New York Times and various scientific journals, it is a highly reliable choice for writers who need to convey a fast-paced decline. Whether you are discussing the shelf life of produce on WikiHow or the critical condition of a patient in a medical journal, this phrase provides a clear and professional way to describe a worsening situation. Alternatives like "decline rapidly" or "worsen swiftly" can be used to avoid repetition, but the original phrase remains a powerful and precise tool in any writer's vocabulary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

decline rapidly

Uses a more neutral verb often found in economic, demographic or business reporting.

worsen swiftly

Emphasizes the severity of a condition, frequently applied in medical or weather-related contexts.

degrade fast

Commonly refers to the loss of physical integrity, technical quality or digital signals.

spoil rapidly

Used specifically for organic matter like food or botanical samples.

fall apart quickly

A more idiomatic and figurative way to describe structural or organizational failure.

decay at a high rate

A highly technical or biological description of organic breakdown.

atrophy quickly

Specifically describes the wasting away of muscles, organs or unused skills.

lose ground rapidly

Often used in competitive settings or when a situation is being overtaken by external forces.

crumble fast

Evokes a strong physical image of a structure or institution losing its foundation.

erode quickly

Typically refers to the gradual but fast removal of material or abstract qualities like trust.

FAQs

How to use "deteriorate quickly" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe physical or abstract decline, such as "Without proper maintenance, the historical building will "deteriorate quickly"." or "The patient's health began to "deteriorate quickly" after the surgery."

What can I say instead of "deteriorate quickly"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "decline rapidly", "worsen swiftly" or "degrade fast".

Is it "deteriorate quickly" or "deteriorate quick"?

The correct form is "deteriorate quickly" because 'quickly' is an adverb modifying the verb 'deteriorate'. Using 'quick' as an adverb is common in informal speech but is grammatically incorrect in formal writing.

What's the difference between "deteriorate quickly" and "decline rapidly"?

While both mean a fast negative change, "deteriorate quickly" often implies a loss of quality or integrity (like health or materials), whereas "decline rapidly" is frequently used for quantitative data, such as stock prices or population numbers.