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Deteriorate vs Backslide - What's the difference?

deteriorate | backslide |

As verbs the difference between deteriorate and backslide

is that deteriorate is to make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair while backslide is to regress; to slip backwards or revert to a previous, worse state.

deteriorate

English

Verb

(deteriorat)
  • To make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair.
    • to deteriorate the mind
  • * Southey
    • The art of war, like every other art, ecclesiastical architecture alone excepted, was greatly deteriorated during those years of general degradation
  • To grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=January 8 , author=Paul Fletcher , title=Stevenage 3 - 1 Newcastle , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=It was turning into an abysmal afternoon for Newcastle and it deteriorated further when Tiote saw red for his challenge on Jon Ashton. }}

    Related terms

    * deterioration * deteriorative * deteriorable

    Synonyms

    * worsen

    Antonyms

    * ameliorate * better * improve

    backslide

    English

    Verb

    English irregular verbs
  • To regress; to slip backwards or revert to a previous, worse state.
  • :He felt better for a little while, before his condition started to backslide .
  • To shirk responsibility; to renege on one's obligations or commitments.
  • :Rich countries are backsliding on their commitment to agree to new WTO measures to help people in poor countries gain access to affordable medicines. — Oxfam press release, 24 June 2002