What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Deteriorate vs Enhance - What's the difference?

deteriorate | enhance |

In lang=en terms the difference between deteriorate and enhance

is that deteriorate is to grow worse; to be impaired in quality; to degenerate while enhance is to be raised up; to grow larger.

As verbs the difference between deteriorate and enhance

is that deteriorate is to make worse; to make inferior in quality or value; to impair while enhance is (obsolete) to lift, raise up.

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

    enhance

    English

    Alternative forms

    * inhance * enhaunce * inhaunce

    Verb

    (enhanc)
  • (obsolete) To lift, raise up.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , I.i:
    • nought aghast, his mightie hand enhaunst : / The stroke down from her head vnto her shoulder glaunst.
    (Wyclif Bible)
  • To augment or make something greater.
  • * Southey
    • The reputation of ferocity enhanced the value of their services, in making them feared as well as hated.
  • * 2000 , Mordecai Roshwald, Liberty: Its Meaning and Scope , page 155
    • A hereditary monarch relies on pomp and ceremony, which enhance the respect for the institution
  • To improve something by adding features.
  • * 1986 , Maggie Righetti, Knitting in Plain English , page 192
    • A pom-pom to top off a stocking cap, a fringe to feather the edge of a shawl, tassels to define the points of an afghan, these are just a few of the delightful little goodies that enhance handknit things.
  • To be raised up; to grow larger.
    • A debt enhances rapidly by compound interest.

    Synonyms

    * See also