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Preposition after verb

Deteriorate to or deteriorate in?

Deteriorate is often used with in to show the area that becomes worse. To can appear when something changes to a worse state or level.

Quick answer

How do you use deteriorate with prepositions?

Use deteriorate in to talk about the area, condition, or aspect that worsens: deteriorate in quality. Use deteriorate to when describing a resulting state or level: deteriorate to the point of collapse. The meanings are different, so the prepositions are not interchangeable.

The service has deteriorated in quality recently.
His health deteriorated to the point of exhaustion.
Relations deteriorated in the final months of the project.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
deteriorate in + area

Showing what becomes worse

Use in before the aspect, skill, condition, or field that declines.

The building has deteriorated in condition over the years.
Her eyesight deteriorated in her forties.
2
deteriorate to + state

Describing a resulting condition

Use to before a noun phrase showing the new, worse state or limit.

The argument deteriorated to violence.
His health deteriorated to a critical stage.
3
deteriorate to the point of + noun or -ing

Expressing an extreme result

This pattern emphasizes a severe outcome after gradual decline.

The situation deteriorated to the point of crisis.
The road deteriorated to the point of becoming unsafe.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
deteriorate in quality
The product deteriorated in quality after production changed.
Standard pattern showing the aspect that worsened.
deteriorate to a critical stage
Her condition deteriorated to a critical stage overnight.
Shows the resulting worse state or level.
deteriorate in the winter
Roads often deteriorate in the winter.
Here in introduces a time period, not an object selected by the verb.
deteriorate to
The discussion deteriorated to insults.
Standard when describing what the situation became.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using in instead of to for a resulting state

Use to when describing what something became.

✕ The debate deteriorated in chaos. ✓ The debate deteriorated to chaos.

Using to before an aspect

Use in for areas or qualities that worsen.

✕ The engine deteriorated to performance. ✓ The engine deteriorated in performance.

Confusing time expressions with verb patterns

In can introduce time expressions independently of the verb.

✕ The roads deteriorated to the winter. ✓ The roads deteriorated in the winter.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The patient's condition deteriorated ___ a dangerous level.
2. The fabric deteriorated ___ quality after repeated washing.
3. Choose the correct sentence.

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Frequently asked questions

Can deteriorate be followed by to?

Yes. Use to when describing the state or level reached after decline, such as deteriorate to chaos or deteriorate to a critical stage.

When do I use deteriorate in?

Use in before the aspect or area that worsens: deteriorate in quality, deteriorate in health.

Is deteriorate into also possible?

Yes. Deteriorate into is common when something changes into a worse form or situation, such as a discussion deteriorating into an argument.

dabble, in, dabble, with "damage to" or "damage by"? dance to, with, on, in or for? "dangle from" or "dangle in"? dare to, for, on, as or at? dash to, into, out, from or on? daydream about, for, in, of or on? "debate in", "debate on" or "debate with"? deceive by, in, into, on or about? "decide on", "decide to" or "decide by"? declare in, by, on, to or as? decline in, by, from, to or for?

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