deteriorate significantly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "deteriorate significantly" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when describing a situation, condition, or quality that has worsened to a notable extent. Example: "The patient's health began to deteriorate significantly after the treatment was halted."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

39 human-written examples

The CST has warned that the situation "could deteriorate significantly".

Independent

For example, while she found that discipline and even physical health deteriorate significantly after a divorce, two years later most children and parents have bounced back.

The New York Times - Arts

"The Fed's rhetoric has consistently pointed out that the data needs to deteriorate significantly further before it would consider an expansion of QE," BarCap said.

The Guardian - Business

"Should economic conditions deteriorate significantly further, those countries with sufficient fiscal space stand ready to coordinate and implement discretionary fiscal actions to support domestic demand," the statement said.

The New York Times

The chief scientist on Sir David Attenborough's recent three-part series on the reef, Justin Marshall, who accompanied Di Natale and Waters, said he has seen the reef deteriorate significantly over 30 years.

The Guardian

Since the retirement of the space shuttle, no more servicing missions have been possible and the Hubble operations team expect their instrument to deteriorate significantly in the coming years.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

14 human-written examples

His memory, for example, has not deteriorated significantly.

The New Yorker

However, local services have deteriorated significantly over the past five years.

The Guardian

Her health has deteriorated significantly since redundancy in 2010.

The Guardian

On the way down, though, consumption has not deteriorated significantly -- at least not yet.

The New York Times

Can you imagine living like this for another 10 years?" Electricity and water has deteriorated significantly.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To add impact, quantify the deterioration if possible. Instead of just saying "performance deteriorated significantly", try to include numbers or percentages to illustrate the severity of the decline.

Common error

While grammatically correct, "deteriorate significantly" can sound overly formal or clinical in casual conversations. Opt for more natural alternatives like "got much worse" or "declined sharply" in informal settings to maintain a conversational tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "deteriorate significantly" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying a verb to express the degree to which something is declining or worsening. Ludwig AI confirms this usage, showcasing examples where "deteriorate significantly" modifies verbs across varied contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

36%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "deteriorate significantly" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase to describe a considerable decline or worsening of a condition. According to Ludwig AI, it is versatile and applicable across various contexts, notably in science and news reporting. Although it is generally suitable for formal and neutral settings, more casual alternatives might be preferable in informal conversations. When using "deteriorate significantly", it is best practice to specify what is declining and, if possible, quantify the degree of deterioration. Related phrases such as "decline markedly" or "worsen considerably" can be used as alternatives to add variety to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

decline markedly

This alternative replaces "deteriorate" with "decline" and "significantly" with "markedly", suggesting a noticeable downturn.

worsen considerably

This phrase substitutes "deteriorate" with "worsen" and "significantly" with "considerably", emphasizing a substantial degradation.

degrade substantially

This option swaps "deteriorate" with "degrade" and "significantly" with "substantially", indicating a considerable reduction in quality or condition.

diminish greatly

This alternative uses "diminish" instead of "deteriorate" and "greatly" instead of "significantly", suggesting a large reduction in something.

decline sharply

This phrase replaces "deteriorate" with "decline" and "significantly" with "sharply", highlighting a sudden and steep decrease.

fall off considerably

Here, "fall off" replaces "deteriorate", implying a decline in quantity or quality and "considerably" is used instead of "significantly".

plummet substantially

This alternative substitutes "deteriorate" with "plummet" and "significantly" with "substantially", suggesting a rapid and considerable drop.

slump dramatically

This phrase uses "slump" instead of "deteriorate" and "dramatically" instead of "significantly", emphasizing a sudden and considerable decline, especially in economic contexts.

regress severely

This alternative changes "deteriorate" to "regress" and "significantly" to "severely", indicating a serious return to a former state.

weaken considerably

This option substitutes "deteriorate" with "weaken" and "significantly" with "considerably", suggesting a reduction in strength or effectiveness.

FAQs

How can I use "deteriorate significantly" in a sentence?

Use "deteriorate significantly" to describe a considerable decline in condition or quality. For example, "The patient's health "began to deteriorate significantly" after the new medication was introduced."

What are some alternatives to "deteriorate significantly"?

You can use alternatives like "decline markedly", "worsen considerably", or "degrade substantially depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "deteriorate significantly" or "deteriorate a lot"?

"Deteriorate significantly" is generally more formal and precise than "deteriorate a lot". The former suggests a considerable and measurable decline, whereas the latter is more casual. Choose based on your audience and the context.

In what situations is it appropriate to use the phrase "deteriorate significantly"?

The phrase "deteriorate significantly" is suitable in formal writing, reports, and professional communications where you need to describe a notable decline. It is commonly used when reporting on health, economic, or environmental conditions.