to make or become worse or inferior in character, quality, value, etc.

to disintegrate or wear away.

verb

build , construct , develop , get better , improve

verb

adulterate , alloy , become worse , be worse for wear , break , corrode , corrupt , crumble , debase , debilitate , decline , decompose , degrade , deprave , depreciate , descend , disimprove , disintegrate , ebb , fade , fail , fall apart , flag , go downhill , go to pieces * , go to pot , go to the dogs , hit the skids , impair , injure , languish , lapse , lessen , lose it , lose quality , lower , mar , pervert , regress , retrograde , retrogress , rot , sink , skid , slide , spoil , undermine , vitiate , weaken , wear away , worsennotes:to degenerate means \'to decline in value , move lower on a scale\' but to deteriorate means \'to worsen , to become lowered , or be reduced in value\'; degenerate pertains more to character and virtue while deteriorate is more about loss of strength or vitality , atrophy , degenerate , worsen , wane , waste , break down , molder , putrefy , taint , turn , go bad , go to seed