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Deteriorate vs Dwindle - What's the difference?

deteriorate | dwindle |

In intransitive terms the difference between deteriorate and dwindle

is that deteriorate is to grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate while dwindle is to decrease, shrink, diminish, reduce in size.

As verbs the difference between deteriorate and dwindle

is that deteriorate is to make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair while dwindle is to decrease, shrink, diminish, reduce in size.

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. }}

    Synonyms

    * worsen

    Antonyms

    * ameliorate * better * improve

    dwindle

    English

    Verb

    (dwindl)
  • To decrease, shrink, diminish, reduce in size.
  • * 1802 , , translated by T. Paynell,
  • [E]very thing that was improving gradually degenerates and dwindles away to nothing,
  • (figuratively) To fall away in quality; degenerate, sink.
  • The flattery of his friends began to dwindle into simple approbation.'' (''Goldsmith , Vicar, III)
  • * Jonathan Swift
  • Religious societies, though begun with excellent intentions, are said to have dwindled into factious clubs.
  • * 1919 ,
  • The larger the empire, the more dwindles the mind of the citizen.
  • * '>citation
  • To lessen; to bring low.
  • * Thomson
  • Our drooping days are dwindled down to naught.
  • To break; to disperse.
  • (Clarendon)

    References