The deterioration of the ancient stone bridge accelerated after decades of exposure to acidic rain.
古石桥在数十年的酸雨侵蚀下，其恶化速度加快了。
Preservation consultant Yolanda Reyes notes that extensive window exposure without proper UV filtering can significantly accelerate the fading and deterioration of the library's paper archives over time.
From a Cross-Text Connections question · Craft and Structure
Which choice best defines “deterioration”?
D — The process of becoming worse. “deterioration” means the process of becoming worse.
Which word means “the process of becoming worse”?
B — deterioration. “deterioration” means the process of becoming worse.
deterioration — the process of becoming worse. In Chinese: 恶化，退化.
deterioration is pronounced /dɪˌtɪəriəˈreɪʃən/.
The deterioration of the ancient stone bridge accelerated after decades of exposure to acidic rain. (古石桥在数十年的酸雨侵蚀下，其恶化速度加快了。)
decline, degradation, worsening — all close in meaning to deterioration (the process of becoming worse).
improvement, recovery — each the opposite of deterioration (the process of becoming worse).
Yes. deterioration is on the SAT Prep Basic list — the everyday academic words the SAT assumes you already have. The Digital SAT does not test vocabulary in isolation; words like this one are tested through Words in Context questions, where you choose the word that completes a passage most logically and precisely.